


Defy Fate

by UnhallowedDei



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Badass Max, Drama & Romance, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Sex, OT3, Polyamory, Power Development, Slow Build, Smut, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-03-06 20:28:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 216,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13419036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnhallowedDei/pseuds/UnhallowedDei
Summary: Max and Chloe finally thought they were free, a new life lay ahead of them once they reached LA, once they had paid their respects to Chloe's fallen angel and completed her journey. Fate is what we make it, right?





	1. Past and Present

 

The door closed behind them with a snap as they kissed so deeply and passionately, struggling to move across the bedroom to the waiting bed, the bed they had slept in together so often for the last couple of years. She fell backwards onto the mattress and the girl fell on top of her, straddling her lap as their tongues touched. Placing her hands on the girl's hips she awkwardly struggled up the bed, trying not to allow this moment to slip away, a moment she had dreamt about for so long. The beanie was thrown aside and she felt the girl's smaller hands in her hair, pulling on her blue locks and making her gasp. The pleasure wasn't something she'd expected, but it was worth enduring the pain to get.

There was something primal in the other girl's motions, pulling her into a seating position so they could remove her jacket, flung across the room just like the beanie. Then she felt the girl's hand on her neck, gentle yet firm, slowly forcing her back down onto her back as they continued their kiss. She pulled the girl's shirt off and cautiously ran her hand up the front of her vest top, feeling the fabric of her bra under her exploring fingers. Like a switch was flicked the kiss broke and the girl sat up, her hands going to the hem of her vest and removing it for the blue haired girl to get a proper look at the girl's body. A smirk played across the face of the girl she was admiring, a primal fire behind her eyes as her hands disappeared behind her back and her bra started to fall away from her breasts. The piece of clothing fell between them but she was already sitting up, kissing the girl's exposed body just like she had imagined doing so many times before. The girl ran her hands through the punk's hair once more, kissing the top of her head as her breasts were lovingly kissed and explored.

Her head was pulled back and more kisses followed, deep and passionate. She was lost in the moment of the night, almost praying it wasn't a dream. Her own vest top was slowly being pulled up when they broke their kiss for the piece of clothing to be removed. The girl didn't stop there though, leaning into her once more so she could kiss her beautiful body while her bra was undone and slowly removed. Another item of clothing was removed from between them and the punk was pushed onto her back once more. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations as the girl slowly kissed down her neck to her breasts and explored her body in turn. Her jeans became loose as the girl undid them, slowly working her kisses down the blue haired girl's body as the jeans and her underwear were both removed, as well as her boots.

She'd never felt so exposed in front of this girl before, never felt so open and raw, yet she was being treated like a Queen as her legs were gently parted and she felt the soft touch of the girl's fingers slowly tracing up her inner thigh. Then she gasped, only to be silenced by another kiss, the girl's body was pressed against her own. She bit the girl's bottom lip to stop herself moaning out, enjoying the girl's wonderful touch. It was becoming too much, she couldn't accept all the pleasure without giving any back and firmly pushed the girl onto her back, pinning both of her hands as they kissed once more, before tracing her own kisses down the girl's body. She undid her jeans and just like the girl had done to her, she removed both the jeans and underwear together. Parting the girl's legs she kissed slowly up her inner thigh, teasing the girl she was about to pleasure.

The girl let out a soft moan, stifled as she covered her mouth, but still not enough to stop some noise escaping her lips. She felt a hand on the back of her head, holding her between the girl's legs as she worked her tongue, eliciting more moans and gasps from the beautiful girl.

"Don't... stop..." The girl pleaded, pulling a pillow over her mouth and letting out a deep moan into it. "Oh fuck..." She said, her legs tensing. The blue haired girl didn't stop, she did as she was told as the girl pulled the back of her hair a little more firmly, groaning into the pillow in an attempt to stop the noise from waking anybody else.

Her hair was released and she felt the touch of the girl's hands on her cheeks, pulling her slowly up her body. She ran her hand over her mouth before they kissed, and the punk was rolled onto her back.

"Your turn..." The girl whispered with a smirk as she kissed slowly down the punk's body.

The pleasure hit her like a tidal wave. She closed her eyes and placed the pillow over her own mouth in case she moaned too loudly. Every touch set her nerves racing, she couldn't describe how much she was enjoying this night with the girl. She didn't want it to end, and it didn't end as quickly as she thought it might. When the girl moved back up to kiss her sweetly they remained in each other's arms, kissing and caressing each other's body. The punk made the first move to pleasure the girl again, teasingly moving her hand from the girl's breasts and down her stomach, when the girl made no resistance to stop her she continued, getting a small moan from the girl's lips which she quickly silenced with another kiss.

"Chloe Price..." The girl whispered, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensations and pleasure. "I love you." She finished, opening her eyes and staring into the punk's own eyes.

"I love you too Rach." Chloe whispered back.

"Don't let me go." The blonde said, biting her bottom lip. "Take me away from here..."

* * *

 

Chloe woke with a start in the motel bed, looking around for the blonde haired girl she'd just been dreaming about once more. She knew it wasn't just a dream, it was the memory of her last night with Rachel, the night before she went missing. The day before they had made their plans and promises, dedicating themselves to leaving Arcadia Bay once and for all. Chloe was to get the loan from Frank, they'd get the truck fixed and as soon as school was over they had planned to leave, to escape from that shit hole. She'd got the money, just as planned, but then she never heard back from Rachel and her world had fallen apart.

It was the one night Chloe could remember so well, because it was also the only time they'd actually gone so far with one another. In that day and night something had changed between them, something so wonderful and beautiful, but they never got to fully explore it. They never got to be the couple they wanted to be. She had spent months trying to find her, trying to discover what had happened, hoping she hadn't been left behind. Then Max had come back, and the truth was revealed. Rachel was dead, in a shallow grave in their favourite place to hang out.

During that week she had discovered just how deeply she cared for Max as well. A petite girl she hadn't seen in five years had literally fallen in front of her truck and back into her life and turned it around with a smile. Of course she'd been mad at the girl, she hadn't called or text her in five years, they'd grown apart yet Chloe had always felt a ghost of the girl behind her everywhere she went. Yet once Max was back in her life and so willing to help her, so honest and caring, she'd realised why she had never let the girl out of her mind. Max was also in her heart, a constant part of her no matter how far away they got from one another.

It confused the punk to have these deeply rooted feelings for Max while also missing Rachel and what they could have been. It's why in the week since leaving Arcadia Bay she hadn't managed to tell the brunette how she truly felt, she didn't want to give Max hope for something between them when she was so hung up on Rachel. They'd shared a few tender moments since, usually when Max needed a comforting hug or when they would cuddle together in one of the single beds and talk quietly between them.

She checked the time on her phone and sighed, it was time for them to get up and back on the road. They hadn't been making the best time in their trip south.  She kicked back the covers and got out of the bed, looking over to the other bed where Max was curled up and still asleep. The brunette had been through a hellish week, made worse by the sudden onslaught of messages from her parents demanding she come home. Max had refused and turned off her phone, trusting in Chloe's plan to go to LA instead to at least complete part of Rachel's last wish, even if the blonde wasn't with them to enjoy it.

Chloe opened the one bag she had with all her clothes and some personal items inside, pulling out the small bag of toiletries she had stashed when they'd raided her home before David got back. She noticed her toothbrush was missing and smirked, knowing exactly who had taken it. Taking the rest of her items she passed the brunette's bed and went into the bathroom, intent on freshening up before they started the last leg of their journey into LA, she wasn't going to risk a shower, not yet. They'd saved as much of the disability fund to get a nice hotel in the city for a night.

Comfortably freshened, she left the bathroom and saw Max yawning and stretching in bed, a soft smile spreading across the brunette's sweet face when she saw Chloe.

"Morning." The girl said, falling back into bed and pulling the covers back up.

"You sleep okay?" Chloe asked, dropping her toiletries into her travel bag and digging out a pair of not-so-dirty jeans.

"Mhm." Max mumbled, rolling onto her side. "But not as well as in the last motel."

Chloe smirked at Max's comment, at the last motel they'd had to share a bed. "Just because you got to steal all the covers?" She joked, trying to hide her embarrassment from the brunette.

Max shook her head and then covered her face with the pillow. "You're such a dork." She said, muffled.

Chloe quietly snuck around the bed and knelt down so she would be face to face with Max were the pillow not in the way and quickly pulled it aside to look at the brunette's red cheeks. "Aww Max, you're blushing." She teased, throwing the pillow aside and placing her hand on the brunette's cheek.

"I'm trying to... have a moment here." Max said, eye blue eyes sparkling as the light caught them. "I want to talk about..."

"Us." Chloe ended her sentence, she'd known this was coming for a while. Especially as they hadn't talked about it since the Bay, since the dare in her bedroom.

"I'm confused Chloe." Max admitted quietly. "I... want more with you but... you don't, do you?"

Memories rushed back to Chloe of that week, all of her dares and taunts trying to get Max to make a move, testing the poor girl. When she had told her she hadn't been so happy in years, it was true. She wanted to kiss the doubt out of Max's mind, like she should have done on the cliff after Max had saved her life once more.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." Max started to say when Chloe placed her thumb on her lips to stop her.

"I told you Max, I'm with you forever. I'm not leaving you. After everything we went through, after everything you did for me, I'd be a really shitty person to abandon you."

Max kissed her thumb and gently moved it away from her mouth to speak. "But I mean..." She looked at Chloe with a sadness in her eyes that she'd seen before.

_Rachel's dead... she's not coming back you fucking dumbass. Max is opening her heart to you and you're sitting there like a deer in the headlights trying to persuade yourself to kiss her! Just fucking do it! You've been thinking about this petite, brunette, adorable fucking girl for five years! DO IT!_

"I want more with you too Max." She said quietly, biting her bottom lip and staring into the girl's eyes. "I dared you didn't I?" She grinned. "Do I..."

She didn't get to finish her question when once again the brunette surprised her and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Only this time she didn't pull away, she didn't react with shock, she embraced it. She enjoyed kissing the brunette she'd missed for so long. Max cautiously placed her hand on Chloe's cheek as they took their time enjoying such a sweet moment, their first proper kiss without a dare, without one of them pulling away. It meant so much to Chloe to know somebody in the world still cared and wanted her.

Slowly she stood up, keeping her lips connected with Max's, and slipped into the bed alonside the smaller girl, too engrossed in the touch she had yearned for. She placed her hand on the girl's side, on the hem of her shirt, but made no attempt to remove it. Just happy to be lost in such a perfect and completing kiss with the person who had saved her life, who completed so many pieces of her fractured life. Max was the one to gradually break their kiss, a beautiful smile on her face that reached her blue eyes. They remained in bed for as long as possible, snatching kisses here and there as the urge came over them, but Max had changed and for the better. The deep thinking girl she had dragged away from the lighthouse was replaced by a girl who was more than willing to snatch a kiss or tease her once more, more open and exciting.

"We should be leaving soon." Max said, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"I just find out my best friend has a crush on me and she wants me to get out of bed." Chloe joked as she gently stroked Max's hair.

"I don't think it's a crush Chloe." The girl responded quietly.

"Just kidding Max... I know." She smiled, kissing Max's forehead gently. "Come on then... get your bony white ass out of bed."

"You like this ass Chloe, I've seen you perving." Max teased, kicking off the covers and slipping out of bed.

"I don't perv." Chloe laughed as she watched Max walk around the bed to her own bag. Max had far less clothes than Chloe, Blackwell academy had suffered a lot of damage and Max hadn't managed to get inside the dorms before they left.

"Yes you do. Like now, you're watching my ass again!" Max said, standing with her hands on her hips trying to be serious. It just made Chloe laugh harder.

"Just get dressed you dork. And give me back my toothbrush!"

"It's mine now." Max smirked, taking a shirt out of her bag that she'd worn yesterday. "Ugh... I have no fresh clothes."

"Check my bag, I stuffed everything I could in there." Chloe smiled, watching the brunette roll her eyes and try looking through Chloe's bag.

"You have some of Rachel's clothes in here?" Max asked, holding up the plaid shirt.

"It was... in my room so I grabbed it?" Chloe said, recognising it as the one she'd watched Rachel take off in her dreamlike memory.

"It'll do." Max shrugged, digging through Chloe's bag some more. She pulled out a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans to go with the plaid shirt and started getting dressed in front of Chloe, who admired the girl as casually as she could. "Perv." The brunette said as she walked past into the tiny bathroom with her own toiletries.

Chloe finally got out of the bed and got dressed, looking at the old red shirt she'd been forced to use without any other clean clothes. They'd have to hit up a laundromat at some point in LA and get their clothes cleaned. Max would also need some new clothes, more money they would have to spend without any kind of income. Eventually the Blackwell Disability fund was going to run out and then they'd be in real trouble.

By the time Max left the bathroom Chloe was ready to go, having zipped up her bag and pulled on her boots and jacket. The brunette dropped her things in her bag, zipped it up and pulled on her own shoes and jacket, then put her camera bag over her shoulder. Chloe gave her a smile and pulled her into a hug, cherishing the moments they still had together.

"Let's go." Max said quietly. They picked up their bags and Max took Chloe's hand, lacing their fingers together as any normal couple would do.

They left the motel room into the parking lot, where Chloe's battered truck sat looking just as beat up as it ever did. It had brought them so far, but Chloe could see the miles on the poor thing. She took Max's bag and loaded it into the truck bed while the brunette took their room key to the front desk, returning with a smile on her face. It was the first real smile she'd seen on her face in a week, not forced but pure. It made Chloe smile in turn as she opened the passenger door for the smaller girl. Max surprised her once more by kissing her sweetly on the lips before climbing in, giving Chloe an extra spring in her step as she circled the truck and got in on the driver's side. Their relationship was looking up at least, even if everything else was going to shit.

* * *

Their trip into the city was filled with more laughter than their entire trip south. Max had her camera out and would take pictures when they stopped at lights and she saw something that caught her eye, flapping the polaroid around afterwards and grinning happily at the image she had captured. Chloe was enamoured with the girl, watching her pretty smile and enjoying her laugh. It was great to see the spark in her once more after the trouble in Arcadia.

"So where are we going first?" Max asked, leaning against the punk.

"Find a hotel, check in, dump the bags and... go to the pier." Chloe answered, thinking of what she should do to honour Rachel properly. Just visiting the pier wasn't going to be enough.

"That sounds good." The sweet girl gently put her hand on Chloe's leg, a nervous touch that made Chloe smile.

"Max, have you ever... actually dated anybody?" Chloe asked gently.

"Uhm..." She glanced at the brunette quickly and noticed the blush in her cheeks.

"It's alright." Chloe answered quickly. "I actually like the fact I'm your first."

"Well I did date a guy... but never a girl." Max said.

"Oh a guy? For how long?"

"An hour? He was... fucking dared to date me." Max muttered quietly.

"No fucking way? Who is he? I need to kick his ass." Chloe said, not sure whether she was joking or serious.

"It's fine Chloe..." Max kissed Chloe's arm, barely noticeable through her jacket. "I guess you are my first... if we're actual girlfriends now."

"Why wouldn't we be? Because you were my best friend first?"

Max shrugged, but Chloe noticed the smile on her face and let the question hang. She wasn't going to push the girl, they had their whole lives to explore their relationship now.

It didn't take them long to find a nice hotel where they could stay for a couple of nights without using all of their money. Max surprised Chloe when she insisted on a king size bed, a twinkle in her blue eyes as she embraced their new status as girlfriends. The brunette may be innocent, but she knew how to get what she wanted, knew how to make Chloe cave in to her requests. Chloe always thought it had been the other way around, her leading the charge and Max holding on tight, but thinking about it now, Max had always had a say and she'd chosen to follow. She was more than capable of leading when she wanted to.

They held hands and laced their fingers together once more, with Max leading the way to their hotel room, her travel bag thrown over one shoulder while her camera bag was over the other. Chloe saw a similarity in the action, it was something Rachel would have done, with a bright smile on her face and the mischievous twinkle in her eyes that always meant trouble. She quickly wiped a tear from her eye as the memory reminded her of the girl she had lost, careful not to let Max see her this way again.

The room they had was beautifully decorated with the king size bed just as Max had requested. The brunette dropped her bags by the door and threw herself down upon the bed, sinking into the covers as a satisfied sigh escaped her sweet lips. Chloe took advantage of the moment, dropping her bag by the door and jumping on top of the smaller girl, careful not to hurt her but firmly enough that she couldn't escape the embrace. Max laughed loudly as Chloe tickled her sides, making the girl squirm as she tried to escape.

"Not... fair...." Max giggled, accidentally pulling Chloe's beanie off as she tried to push her off.

The punk didn't give up, she loved to hear the giggles and the laughter, but then she felt Max's smaller fingers on her own ticklish sides and quickly tried to assert dominance over the girl, grabbing at her hands to pin them above her head. She finally succeeded in pinning the girl to the bed, their fingers laced together as their noses almost touched, a smile behind Max's blue eyes as she stared intently into Chloe's. She hadn't realised it at the time, but Max had allowed her to slip between her legs and had wrapped them over Chloe's, holding the punk to her so she couldn't escape either.

"If you weren't so damn cute Caulfield..." Chloe whispered, releasing the girl's hands so she could play with her hair instead.

"We need to go to the pier, before you decide to abuse my innocent nature." Max smirked confidently, surprising Chloe a little bit.

"You're so confident, what the fuck happened to you?" She asked, not unkindly.

"I watched you die." Max answered sadly. "And I destroyed Arcadia to keep you. I don't want to pass up a moment with you Chloe..."

"But I don't want to rush you." Chloe said, kissing Max sweetly before slowly getting up. "We have our whole lives Max. So... let's take our time, yeah?"

"I know." Max smirked, getting to her feet and stretching. "We have all the time in the world." The girl glanced towards her left hand, the hand she kept using to rewind time. Chloe noticed the look and gently took hold of her hands.

"You never have to use it again." She said softly. "I'll never ask you to."

"I know." She said quietly, kissing Chloe's lips. "Come on... we're here to pay our respects, to complete her journey." Max smiled, gently pulling Chloe out of their room, leaving their bags behind.

They returned to their truck and made haste towards the Santa Monica Pier, stopping at a small flower shop along the way where Chloe got out to look at the available flowers. She had no idea what to get. They'd never talked about flowers, at least not that she could recall. She wanted to get a rose, after all Rachel had been a love in her life, but it felt wrong with Max sitting in the truck nearby. Then she saw it, the one flower that caught her eye and made her smile.

_A blue rose._ She thought to herself, admiring the petals. _Not exactly a red rose, but it would have matched her earring._

She purchased the rose in a sweet little box, as well as a red rose for Max, hoping the girl would understand the sentiment behind it, especially when she had bought a flower for Rachel too. Returning to the truck she handed the two small boxes to Max with a smile and resumed their short journey to the Santa Monica pier. Max remained quiet throughout the journey, looking out of the window as the world passed them by. When they found a place to park Chloe couldn't bring herself to get out of the truck, she could only stare at the Ferris Wheel as she imagined Rachel being there with them. The blonde would have loved it, especially as the sun was setting.

"Golden Hour." Max muttered, watching the sun in the distance.

"Take the shot Max." Chloe smiled, nudging the girl in the side. "I'll even pose if you want?"

"Seriously?" The brunette asked, looking stunned.

"You need a model... right?"

"I'm not missing this chance, let's fucking do it!" Max grinned, opening the door and hopping out of the truck.

Chloe followed the girl's lead, but got into the back of their truck, where she helped Max up. "How should I pose?" Chloe asked.

"However you want... just as long as the shot is of you." Max smiled, placing the boxes of flowers at the other side of the truck bed so they wouldn't get stepped on.

They spent some time taking pictures with the sun setting behind Chloe, laughing and playing with the camera until she finally pulled Max into a loving kiss. She heard the click of the camera and laughed at Max's confidence to take a picture of them kissing.

"You... sneaky..."

"Worth it." Max smirked, putting her camera in her bag and showing Chloe the picture.

Chloe looked at the picture and smiled, they were framed by the setting sun as they kissed, their eyes closed but they looked so happy together. "I'm keeping it." She said, already opening her wallet to store the picture.

"All yours." Max nodded. "I've got all of these." She said, indicating the collection of polaroids that had fallen into the truck bed as she took pictures.

Chloe sat on the roof of her truck as the brunette collected her pictures, admiring each one in turn until they were all safely in her camera bag. When she'd finally collected the last of them she sat beside Chloe and placed her head on her shoulder.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" Max asked quietly. Chloe followed the gaze of Max's eyes and noticed the lid to blue rose had opened while they had played.

"She was my angel Max. I told you that." Chloe answered, taking the girl's hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "I won't ever forget her... and I'm never leaving you."

"Then let's pay our respects." Max smiled, kissing Chloe on the cheek before getting up. The girl picked up the flower boxes and dropped from the truck bed, looking at Chloe expectantly to follow.

They walked wordlessly towards the pier, holding hands and taking in the sights as they approached the end of Rachel's journey. They'd come all this way for somebody who was no longer with them, who had never got to meet Max and know how awesome she was. Chloe was finding it difficult to control her emotions as they got closer to the edge, the memories of her best friend, her eventual lover, playing around her mind and how they found her buried in that shallow grave. She felt Max's hand leave her own, but felt her arm around her waist instead as she helped her walk to the edge and look out on the sea. She allowed the tears to fall as she took the rose from the box and looked at the blue petals.

"I wish you could have been here." She sobbed, she could almost feel Rachel beside them and carefully sat down, afraid she was going to fall if she cried any harder. Max was beside her the entire time, comforting and close.

_I'm sorry Rachel... we should have left sooner. So much sooner._ She thought, afraid to voice these thoughts in case she upset Max. _I'll never forget you._

She allowed the rose to fall into the waters below, hoping she could finally move on from one of the darkest periods of her life.


	2. Release

Max couldn't stop herself from admiring the red rose on the bedside table as she lay in bed beside the sleeping punk girl. It was such a sweet gesture, and a nice surprise when Chloe had given her the rose. She'd thought they were both going to drop a rose into the sea in memory of Rachel, but Chloe had quickly corrected her. She felt the punk's arm slip over her side and hold her close, a touch that Max enjoyed more than she knew possible, it made her feel safe and loved.

After everything that had happened in Arcadia Bay, and the final choice she had to make, she still couldn't believe Chloe would be interested in her as something more than a best friend. She reached for her phone to check the time, then stopped herself when she remembered she'd turned it off to avoid all of the texts and phone calls she'd been receiving. It hadn't just been her Mom and Dad, it had also been Victoria, Kate, Dana, all of the survivors of Blackwell trying to find out if she was okay. She couldn't face them, knowing so many of their friends had died because of her decision. She couldn't explain what had come over her at the Lighthouse, as she held the butterfly picture between her fingers, ready to forfeit a future with Chloe to save others. Something had snapped, like a rubber band pulled too far, and the picture was torn apart.

Rolling onto her back she looked at the ceiling, feeling the punk's protective arm tighten to stop Max moving away from her. She didn't want to sleep, in case the nightmare returned. All of the accusatory shouts of the people she had let die, the guilt she was supposed to feel for choosing Chloe's life, Chloe's happiness, over all of theirs.

_Why should Chloe be sacrificed to save people who barely even remembered she existed? The blue haired punk who hung out with Rachel Amber. That's all I heard about you all week._ She thought angrily. _Rachel this, Rachel that... but your name was never mentioned. You were prepared to die for those people, and they didn't even care about you._

She looked sideways at the sleeping girl, appreciating just how much Chloe had been through, how painful it must be to lose not just your father, but your two best friends as well. Chloe's tough exterior was her shell to protect her from more pain, so nobody could get close. But she'd let Max back in, welcomed her home after their rocky reunion. Now they were once again sharing a bed, sharing something more than a friendship. It scared her, she'd never had a relationship before, never made out under the bleachers or fumbled with a guy. Chloe was her first kiss, because of a dare. Now she was her first girlfriend, because she'd finally told the punk how she was feeling.

Carefully she removed the arm from around her waist and slipped out of the bed, pulling her shirt down to cover her midriff. She walked around the bed and checked the time on Chloe's phone.

_Three in the morning, and I don't want to sleep._ She thought, replacing it on the side. _I remember when I didn't want to get out of bed, now I don't want to get back into it._ She looked around the hotel room for a moment, wondering what to do with herself. _Shower... awesome warm watery shower of cleaning._ She chuckled, remembering some of the worse motels they had stayed in, where a shower would possibly have made her dirtier. She grabbed her toiletries out of her bag and quietly went into the bathroom, turning on the shower before staring into the mirror above the sink as she listened to the falling water. The girl staring back at her looked different, older than what she remembered. There was something missing from her eyes though, something she had seen for so long staring back at her during moments like this. She felt the warm arm around her waist before she noticed Chloe had snuck into the bathroom, wrapping Max in her arms from behind and looking at her through the mirror.

"I worried." Chloe answered before the question was asked.

"I could have been naked and in the shower." Max said, instinctively leaning back into the taller girl's embrace.

"Well... then I'd have gone back to bed." The punk winked playfully. "Everything okay?"

"Can't sleep." She shrugged, enjoying the hug too much to worry about the running shower.

"I'm the master of not sleeping." Chloe smirked. "Wanna talk about it?"

"After I get my shower." She answered, but didn't move to escape Chloe's clutches, enjoying their embrace far more at the moment.

Chloe smiled and slowly started to release the brunette. "Don't take too long. Now that I'm awake I don't think I'm going to get back to sleep."

"I'll be quick." Max grinned, watching the punk leave the bathroom and close the door behind her.

She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the warm shower, appreciating the fall of water on her head. While her original plan had been to take as long as she liked she found herself rushing to get clean so she could go back to spending time with the blue haired punk. Flicking off the shower she stepped out and wrapped a towel around her chest and started drying her hair with a second as she opened the bathroom door. Chloe was lying in bed, propped up against the pillows with a cheeky expression on her face.  Max sat down beside her, discarding the second towel and felt Chloe take hold of her hand, lacing their fingers together once more.

"So talk to me Max..." Chloe said quietly. "I won't let you go until you do."

Max smiled at the touch and wondered just how to explain how she was feeling. "I keep having nightmares." She finally answered quietly. "All the people who died, who are... angry with me for letting them die."

"Do you... regret making that choice?"

Max looked at Chloe when she heard the sadness and in her voice and quickly shook her head. "No, no... definitely not." She said, reaching up with her free hand to touch Chloe's cheek. "I made my choice Chloe. I chose you, wanted you to have a life."

The punk smiled and rest her head against Max's, a gesture the brunette understood. "Thank you." She whispered softly.

"After the dark room... you were my number one priority Chloe. I had to save you." She explained, realising they'd never actually talked about this since that night at the lighthouse, but she'd been so exhausted after the nightmares and visions she barely had a chance to explain it all. Chloe hadn't asked since. She removed her hand from the girl's cheek and looked down into her lap.

"And you did." Chloe said, helping Max to escape her thoughts.

"I saw so many people die on the street as I tried to make it to Warren... so many lives I chose to give up, but I never gave up on saving you. How could I? I'd spent all week saving you, spending time with you, falling in love..." She stopped herself, looking at Chloe with a deep fear in her heart.

_Oh shit... did I just fucking admit that to her?_ She thought, panic seizing her insides.

"Falling in love?" Chloe asked, tilting her head to one side in a cute way. "With me?"  Max nodded and tried to look away, but Chloe placed her hand on Max's cheek to stop her. "Max... oh Max I had no idea." She placed her forehead to Max's and smiled sweetly. "I love you too."

"You're not just saying it because I..." Chloe rolled her eyes and kissed her, silencing her question and her mind. Leaning into the moment she felt Chloe's tongue lick her top lip, teasing her to part her lips. She followed the punk's experienced lead, feeling the touch of Chloe's tongue against her own, enjoying the wonderful sensation. Gradually the punk pulled away and nuzzled her nose, a bright smile on her face.

"You learn quick." The punk whispered, stroking a strand of Max's damp hair out of her face.

"You're a good teacher." Max responded, resting into her girlfriend's arms.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a short time while Max's dark thoughts swirled around her head.

"It was... a nightmare." She finally said, feeling Chloe hold her a little tighter.

"The Dark room?" Chloe asked sadly.

"He drugged me over and over, taking pictures, taunting me. He was going to kill me, overdose me like Nathan did to Rachel." She said as tears started to fill her eyes. "All I could think about was trying to escape, trying to save you... and when I did I fucked it all up again! I forgot about that fucking tornado..." She rambled, she was finally getting it all off her chest.

A week of bottling it up, trying not to upset Chloe, trying not to let her see how weak she was. It all came tumbling out, and Chloe just held her. Comforted her as she cried out the pain of that terrible week. She told Chloe everything, every change she made to the timeline, every mistake she tried to fix. By the time she was done talking her throat was sore, her eyes were puffy and Chloe had been crying too. They remained in each other's arms, the weight finally having lifted from Max's lithe shoulders. Chloe stroked her hair comfortingly, kissing her head gently when Max would take a deep breath trying to steady her breathing.

"You..." Chloe started to say, scaring Max as she expected a barrage of abuse. "Are the strongest person I know." She finished, squeezing Max's small frame as she said it. "I would probably have given up if you died."

"No you wouldn't." Max responded, shifting herself in Chloe's arms to get comfier. "You'd have beaten him to death with his own camera."

Chloe let out a strangled laugh and nodded. "Yeah... maybe. Nobody kills my Max." She said with a smile that Max could feel on her head. "You're amazing."

Max's stomach grumbled at them, causing them both to laugh. "And hungry..."

"No shit, you probably woke the whole hotel." Chloe teased.

"Shut up." Max grinned sheepishly.

"I'm going to grab a shower too... and then we'll get dressed, eat food and go clothes shopping." Chloe said, already making their plans for the day. Max nodded her agreement and shared another sweet kiss with the blunette before she got out of their bed. "Max..." Chloe said, standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

"Yeah?" She answered, looking at the girl's bare legs before her looking to her face.

"I love you." Chloe smiled, she obviously knew where Max had been looking.

"I love you too Chloe." Max returned the smile as the girl disappeared behind the door, watching it snap shut.

* * *

After Chloe had finished having her shower they quickly got dressed and went downstairs into the hotel dining area, where they were given an option of what they would like for breakfast. Max had belgian waffles, a reminder of Joyce's cooking at the Two Whales Diner, while Chloe picked the full breakfast, asking for extra bacon before the waiter left them. They'd opted for the all inclusive for this very reason, they wanted to relax as much as possible before the sudden rush to find jobs and a place to stay every night. It was why they'd chosen the cheapest motels on the way south, to enjoy such a luxurious hotel at least once in their lives.

When they had finished enjoying their breakfast they returned to Chloe's trusty truck and set off in search of an alternative clothing shop. Max knew her range of clothing was going to change dramatically while Chloe was her guiding hand, but she'd liked her look when wearing Rachel's clothes, and she could certainly see herself getting into the style because of Chloe. They found a store and a place to park, Max was quickly dragged inside the shop by her energetic girlfriend, looking through the jeans and shirts for something that would suit her. It was the most fun shopping she had in a long time. She used to pick whatever she felt was right, aided by her mother who seemed so happy that Max was easy to buy for, even when they had been buying her new clothes for her return to Arcadia Bay. Chloe was slowly loading her arms with clothes for Max to try on, then hooked her arm around Max and steered her towards the changing rooms.

"Try everything." Chloe said with a smirk. "And show me after every change, I want to see what you look like."

"Really?" Max asked as Chloe pushed her playfully into one of the changing booths along with all the clothes and took Max's camera bag.

"Yes, really. Chop chop." Chloe winked, closing the curtain.

Max changed out of her clothes and into the first items Chloe had given her to try on. Black ripped jeans, a grey t-shirt and a blue plaid shirt to go over the top, similar to the red shirt she'd borrowed from Chloe's bag yesterday. She looked at herself in the mirror, turning on the spot to look over her shoulder, then opened the curtain to allow Chloe to see.

"Give me a spin!" Chloe ordered, grinning happily at her. Max did as she was told, turning on the spot for her girlfriend who seemed to be eyeing her up. "Next one!" The punk said. Max rolled her eyes with a smile and closed the curtain once more.

A number of changes of clothes later, and many compliments from Chloe, they left the shop with a number of new clothes for both of them. Max had more bags than Chloe, but that was because she had far more to replace. Chloe didn't seem to mind spending the money on Max, she actually appeared really happy about being able to lavish gifts on the brunette. They walked back to the truck, hand in hand, happy to be far away from Arcadia Bay and the chaos it had caused in their lives. Before Max could open the passenger door to the truck, Chloe took her completely by surprise, gently spinning her around on the spot and planting a loving kiss on her lips.

"And that was because...?" Max said as Chloe released her from their moment.

"Because I can." Chloe answered with a smirk. "Whenever I want, right?"

Max smiled and nodded. "I'll never say no to you." Chloe opened the passenger door for her and Max got in, taking Chloe's bag from her before the punk closed the door.

They returned to the hotel to drop off their shopping as well as the intention of going through their bags and taking out the dirty clothes for a trip to the laundromat. But once the door closed behind them Max dropped her bag on the floor and engaged her girlfriend in another kiss. She'd never truly understood why so many teenage couples were always making out, it was nothing special to her, but after kissing Chloe and experiencing the touch and sensations properly, she loved it and she wanted more of them. Chloe was happily returning the affection, wrapping her free arm around Max's waist and holding her body close.

It took Max a moment to release the blunette from her grip, a sheepish smile on her face.

"You get one kiss..." Chloe started to say.

"A good kiss." Max quickly interjected.

"And you're all over me." Chloe finished with a laugh.

"Are you actually complaining?" Max asked, stepping back and trying to look serious.

"Fuck no." The girl answered, dropping her own bag on the floor and pulling Max back towards her by the scruff of her shirt. "I like the confident Max." She whispered, gently nuzzling Max's nose.

"I like feeling confident..." Max said quietly, standing on her tip toes and opening her mouth ever so slightly as she moved to kiss Chloe once again.

Unfortunately the punk's phone started ringing, ruining their moment and the mood. She dropped by onto the soles of her feet and let her head rest on Chloe's collar bone as the punk fumbled to take her phone out of her pocket.

"Hello? Oh shit... hang on." Chloe answered the phone, then she fumbled with it once more. "You're on speaker Mom."

"Max Caulfield why have you turned your phone off?" Joyce said, sounding annoyed with them both.

"I... I..." Max looked at Chloe for help.

"Her phone has been going off none stop Mom, she needed time to herself." Chloe said, gently leading Max over to the bed where they sat down together while they talked to Joyce.

"Your parents have been calling me, begging to know if I knew where you were. They're worried about you Max, we all are." Joyce explained calmly.

"We just needed time to... process things." Chloe answered, keeping her arm around Max and giving her a gentle squeeze.

"I know Chloe, and I didn't stop you when you told me you both needed time. But it's been a week, people are worried about you both. Where are you?"

"LA." Max answered, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"I see..." They couldn't tell what Joyce was thinking, Max thought she was about to yell at them for going so far away. "Max, sweetie, turn your phone back on and talk to your parents please? They'll understand how difficult things have been for you."

_I doubt it._ Max thought, imagining the look on their faces if she told them she watched Chloe die, she could rewind time and Mark Jefferson drugged her to take pictures of her. _Hello shrink!_

"Okay." She finally answered, not sure what else she could say.

"Good girl. We would all like you to come back to Arcadia." Joyce finished.

"Mom, no." Chloe argued. "I've only just got away from that shit hole! It's where Rachel was murdered."

"I know Chloe, but Max's parents are going to ask her to come back too. The town will be holding a memorial for those who died, we need to stand together at a time like this and it won't feel right for me if neither of you are there."

"A fucking memorial? What are we going to do? Stand around holding a flower and wishing it hadn't happened?" Chloe was preparing to fight and Max could see it. Neither of them wanted to go back, she didn't want to have to look into the eyes of the survivors, knowing she had made the choice to take away their loved ones.

"No Chloe. It's to show unity in the face of destruction. This is our home and we have to be strong. Some of the students of Blackwell are even holding a Survivors of the Storm party to try to boost morale in the town."

"A fucking Vortex party I'm assuming?" Chloe furrowed her bro.

"I think so yes. It would be good for you both. Please Chloe, just come home?"

"Mom... I..."

"If you want to leave again right after... we'll make it happen. Okay? I won't keep you here if you want to leave." Chloe looked surprised at her mother's offer, a look Max was sure she shared.

"We'll... think about it." Max answered for Chloe, certain they were about to discuss their options.

"We love you girls. We're all really worried about you both." Joyce said, sounding a little sad. "Just... stay safe okay?"

"Love you too Mom." Chloe replied quietly. "We'll... call you later okay?"

"Thank you sweetie. Speak to you both soon."

Chloe disconnected the call and pulled her arm back ready to throw the phone across the room, then stopped and placed it on the bedside table. Max turned into Chloe and wrapped both arms around the punk, listening to her beating heart, quietly hoping that her rebellious girlfriend would suggest they ignore the request to go back to Arcadia Bay. The punk gently stroked Max's hair as they sat embraced in each other's arms, the time slowly ticking by.

"You don't want to go back." Chloe whispered. It wasn't a question, Chloe knew just how she was feeling.

Max shook her head to answer.

"Should we at least turn your phone back on so your parents know you're okay?" She suggested.

This time Max nodded, so Chloe took Max's dormant phone from her camera bag and put it in the girl's hand. They rearranged themselves on the bed, kicking off their shoes and sitting up against the pillows together. Max stayed in Chloe's loving arms, afraid of letting her go for too long. She looked at her phone and turned the power on, then watched as dozens of messages began arriving in the inbox, including voice messages and missed calls.

"Fucking hell..." Chloe said, watching all of the messages come in.

"How haven't you received this many?" Max asked quietly, putting the phone on the bed while it continued to ping.

"Silent mode, and deleting them." The punk shrugged with a small laugh. "They didn't care when I spent months putting up posters, they never asked how I was. Why should I care now?"

"I... should have done better." Max whispered, turning her body once more into Chloe. Right now the punk was her lifeline, the one thing helping to keep her going. Even when she had those moments of confidence and happiness, she could fall back into her darker thoughts so easily, regretting her actions in the past, specifically not being the friend Chloe needed.

"I have you now Max." Chloe answered, kissing her forehead sweetly. "In a better way than just a friend."

Max's phone started ringing, once again breaking what could have turned into a wonderful moment between them. Max took a deep breath and picked up the phone, checking the caller ID.

"Here we go." Max mumbled, clicking the answer key and quickly putting it on speaker. "Hi Mom."

"Thank God! Max, we've been so worried!" Her mother, Vanessa, sounded exhausted.

"I'm sorry... I just needed some time." Max said quietly.

"We know sweetie." Her father, Ryan, said. They'd put Max on speaker as well so they could both talk to her. "Is Chloe with you?"

"I'm here Mr Caulfield." Chloe said, giving Max another comforting squeeze.

"You better be looking after my daughter Chloe." Ryan said sounding stern.

"Of course. We're in LA and we're in a nice hotel. I'm making sure she has the best." Chloe smiled at Max, who weakly smiled back.

"That's good to hear." Vanessa sounded happier. "Max... why didn't you answer the phone?"

"Chloe and I... we came to pay respects to Rachel. The girl we found..." Max answered truthfully. "She always wanted to come to LA, so we came for her."

"That's sweet Max, but why didn't you at least tell us? We could have helped you with money, with transport. You could have talked to us!" Her Dad said, always the caring and understanding father that he was.

"I'm sorry." Max answered, it was all she could think to say.

"We're just glad you're okay, and safe." There was a long pause while nobody said anything, then Ryan continued. "Max, we're going to the memorial in Arcadia Bay. Joyce and David have said we can stay with them and we'd like you to meet us there." Max sighed, she knew this was coming, knew Joyce wouldn't be the only one to ask them to return. Her father seemed to anticipate their reaction though. "When it's over, and if you still need to travel, we'll make it happen."

"Seriously?" Max asked cautiously.

"You're our daughter Max, we want you to be happy. If you need some time to... deal with these things... we want to help you." Her father sounded sincere and Chloe nodded slowly to Max.

"When... do we need to get back?" Max said.

"In a week... use the credit card we gave you to pay for hotels if you need to. But we want to see you in Arcadia Bay before the Memorial."

"We'll be there Mr Caulfield." Chloe responded, she smiled comfortingly at Max and kissed her forehead.

"Dad... there's something I need to tell you." Max said, looking into Chloe's eyes as she resolved to at least tell her Dad. "Privately, please?"

"It's okay." She heard her Mom say.

"Okay sweetie, you're off speaker. What's up?" Ryan asked sounding concerned.

"Chloe and I... we're..." Chloe nodded encouragingly, a small tear in her eye. "We're together Dad, like... girlfriends."

"At fucking last." Her Dad said, making both of them look at the phone with confusion.

"Sorry?" Max said, frowning at her Dad's reaction.

"Max you spent five years pining after that girl, I'm not blind. William always said there was something special between the two of you!"

"My Dad said that?" Chloe asked.

"He spent the most time with you both. He... told us not to be surprised if it ever happened." Ryan laughed. "That man knew you both far better than either of you knew each other."

"I guess he did." Chloe smiled, looking at Max adoringly.

"We'll see you both in a week, in Arcadia." He said, sounding happier than he had earlier.

"Yeah... see you soon Dad." Max nodded.

"Bye Mr Caulfield." Chloe added.

"Bye girls." The phone disconnected. Max dropped it back onto the bed, refusing to look at any of the texts just yet.

"You just... outed us to your Dad, and probably your Mom." Chloe said, sounding impressed but trying to look mad.

"Sounds like they already knew." She smirked, finally getting to hold Chloe's hand once more. "Shouldn't I have?"

"It's... made me feel special." Chloe smiled, slowly lacing their fingers together in her lap as they cuddled together on the bed.

"You are special Chloe. To me."

* * *

Using Max's bag as a laundry bag they visited a laundromat as planned and got their dirty clothes cleaned, spending the time to talk about what they would do after their reluctant return to Arcadia Bay. Chloe wanted to travel further and see more of the world, while Max was happy to go wherever her girlfriend went, taking pictures along the way.  When they returned to their hotel room they spent the next few hours repacking their bags for their departure in the morning. Chloe didn't want to drag her feet returning to the one place she didn't want to go, and Max understood why. They could always return to LA in the future if they wanted, but it was easier to be on the road and getting closer to Arcadia than trying to think up every excuse not to leave to begin with.

When they were done they lay on the bed and put the tv on, content to lie in each other's arms for a while as the day passed them by. Every so often Max's left hand started to itch, but she couldn't quite manage to scratch it, like a wound healing it was deep in her hand. She scratched her palm on her knee and hoped the itch would subside. Chloe was gently tracing her finger up and down Max's back, which she found to be a strange feeling in contrast to the itch. It almost felt ticklish, but in a better way. She let out a deep sigh and relaxed as much as she could into Chloe's arms, listening to the steady heartbeat of her girlfriend.

"We should check your phone messages." Chloe said, flicking her lighter open and closed.

"Probably just Victoria being a bitch." Max answered, picking the phone up from the bed where she'd dropped it earlier.

The top two most recent messages were from her Mom and Dad, which covered everything they had discussed on the phone already. The next was from Kate.

**Kate:**

_Hey Max. We haven't heard from you in a while and we hope you're okay. You and Chloe are both in our thoughts and prayers._

Max smiled and quickly typed a response to the sweet girl.

**Max:**

_Hey Kate. We're both okay. Thank you for the messages! Will you be in Arcadia Bay for the Memorial?  
_

She checked the next few messages while she waited for a response. Dana and Juliet had both sent similar messages, asking if she was okay and that they were thinking about her. Max didn't know why she was still such a hero to everybody, she hadn't done anything noteworthy during the storm. She confided this in Chloe, hoping the punk would have some idea.

"You saved Kate, and we did leave pretty quick." Chloe shrugged, gently stroking Max's hair. "They obviously care about you Max, or they wouldn't be asking. People don't waste time sending somebody a message if they..." She went silent, obviously realising what she was about to say. "I didn't mean it like..."

"It's fine." Max whispered. "I did care though."

"I know."

Max's phone vibrated as a message arrived.

**Kate:**

_It is so good to hear from you! I'll be at the Memorial. I persuaded my parents to allow me to attend. Will you and Chloe be there?  
_

**Max:**

_We'll be there. So I'll see you soon, we should have tea before you leave!  
_

**Kate:**

_Of course, and Chloe is invited to. I insist she comes.  
_

**Max:**

_Deal. See you soon.  
_

Max dropped the phone back on the bed and rubbed her eyes. She wanted to turn it off once more and return to dedicating all of her time to the girl she was lying against. Gradually her breathing deepened and slowed, she felt her eyelids getting heavy and she fell asleep in the arms of the person she had missed the most over the last five years. The girl she would sacrifice people for, even if it meant carrying the guilt around for the rest of her life.


	3. Promises

The two girls lay in bed, listening to each other's heavy breathing as the silence of the night amplified every little sound. Chloe had no idea where it had come from, what had driven them to this point so quickly. She felt the hands on her body as her lover rolled onto her side, pulling herself against Chloe's sweaty body. She wrapped an arm around the girl, happy to have her so close just as she'd dreamt about so often for so long.

"What do you want to do when we get out of here?" Rachel asked as she cuddled into the punk's body.

"Like... for a job? Or in general?" Chloe replied, absently tracing the scar on Rachel's arm.

"Both. You know my plans, you know I want to be a model or an actress."

"I guess I could work on cars or... be a tattoo artist." She shrugged, thinking of her skills or talents.

"You could totally do tattoos. You designed both of mine." Rachel laughed as she gently ran her finger down Chloe's front between her breasts.

"Yeah but... that was only sketching them out, I'd have to actually work on somebody." She argued, catching Rachel's hand before she could go much further than her stomach.

"It's still a job Chloe. It'll get us money." Rachel whispered, shifting her positon against Chloe so they were almost kissing once more. "I don't want to stay here any longer. I don't want to... keep having to hide myself."

"You don't have to hide yourself from me." Chloe responded just as quietly, their lips almost touching once more.

"I know..."

It was a quick brush of their lips, but the emotional intent was clear.

"We have a plan, I'll get the money tomorrow. We'll leave as soon as you've finished school." Chloe said, not wanting their moment to end.

"We've said that before and we never fucking left." Rachel sighed.

"But it's different this time." She argued, pulling Rachel ontop of her so they were face to face. "Things are... different with us." She could feel the girl's legs either side of her own, the touch of Rachel's naked body against her own.

"Good different?" Rachel smirked, placing her hands on either side of Chloe's neck.

"Hella awesome different." The punk smiled, her hands on the girl's hips.

"That's what I like to hear." The blonde whispered, pressing her chest against Chloe's.

"We're leaving Rach... together."

"Promise me." Rachel said, looking into her eyes. "Promise me we'll leave together, and you won't leave me."

"I promise you Rach. We are leaving together, and I won't leave you."

* * *

Once again Chloe woke from her dream-memory with a jolt, annoyed with herself for dreaming about the past when Max was lying in the bed right beside her. She felt wrong for thinking about Rachel when it was Max she was with, like she was betraying the petite girl. Looking to her left she saw the brunette curled up under the covers, the brown hair the only part of her that was visible over the top of the covers. She smiled and rolled onto her side to grab her phone, she scrolled through all of the newer messages to reach the old ones from Rachel. Her thumb hovered over the conversation, tempted to look at the last few messages she had received from the blonde. She closed the inbox and sat up, dropping the phone in her lap.

_She's gone. Never coming back. Stop living in the fucking past._

She rubbed her eyes and ran her hands through her blue hair, then quickly got out of bed, placing her phone on the bedside table once more. Entering the bathroom she flicked on the light and filled the sink with water before submerging her face in the cool water for a moment before allowing herself to resurface, feeling slightly more refreshed. Wiping her hand across her face she removed some of the excess water and stared at herself in the mirror.

Ever since Max had been back in her life she'd managed to sleep each night, she felt happier, relaxed, like nothing was missing. But those dreams kept assaulting her mind, reminding her of a promise she failed to keep. It was driving her mad to know she'd left Arcadia without Rachel, despite her promise and everything she had done to make their future a reality.

Chloe returned to the bedroom and started getting dressed for the day, not exactly looking forward to the drive back towards Arcadia Bay when they had finally got to LA. Rachel would never have allowed them to return, memorial or not, but Max needed to make her own peace with her guilt or it would drive her insane, just like that promise was driving Chloe crazy.

She checked the time when she was dressed and decided to wake Max, gently pulling the covers from the girl's face and planting the sweetest kiss on her lips she could manage. Max responded slowly at first, then her arms wrapped around Chloe's neck and pulled her back onto the bed. It was the best kiss they'd had to date, especially when Max opened her eyes as they parted and Chloe could see the happiness glint in her sapphire eyes.

"Morning sleepy." Chloe whispered softly, stroking a strand of hair out of Max's face.

"Morning... did I over sleep?" Max asked, looking at Chloe's clothes.

"No, I was up pretty early and figured I'd get ready." She answered, sitting on the bed beside Max. The brunette took one of her hands and held it with a smile on her face.

"We have to go back to Arcadia... don't we?" Max muttered, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

"Not if you don't want to. We can go wherever."

"With what money?"

Chloe smiled weakly and shrugged. "We'd find a way Max."

"Like using my powers to steal it." The girl said, shaking her head. "I won't do it, I won't use..."

"I never asked you to." Chloe quickly said, silencing the girl. "I just mean... we'll find a way to get by if you really don't want to go back."

"I'm sorry... I..." Max started to say when Chloe rolled her eyes and put her free hand over her mouth.

"It's fine, dumbass." She smiled. "Now stop apologising to me. Next time you do it I'm going to kiss you." She removed her hand from Max's mouth, but the brunette was smirking and Chloe knew what was coming next before the girl said it.

"I'm so..." Chloe leaned down and kissed the brunette with a little bit of force, keeping her pinned in bed by the connection alone.

When Chloe finally eased off Max was smirking once more, a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes. "Don't even think it Caulfield. Next time I'll kiss somewhere else."

The girl blushed but Chloe knew she was tempted to push their boundries, to go a little further than they'd already gone. She shook her head and got off the bed, taking some of Max's new clothes out of her bag and throwing them to the brunette.

"Come on, get dressed." Chloe ordered, putting her hands on her hips trying to look serious.

"I guess we have to go." Max mumbled, removing her shirt under Chloe's watchful gaze.

"Yep, and the sooner we leave the sooner we can check in to another hotel and... not have to think about it."

"Sounds wonderful." Max said, pulling on the dark blue t-shirt with the fancy white raven on the front, one of the shirts Chloe had picked for her.

When Max was sufficiently dressed and her nightwear stuffed into her bag, they left the comfort of their hotel suite and went down for breakfast one last time, soon returning to collect their things before checking out. Chloe wasn't looking forward to the drive north, even with the company of her girlfriend.

"We could be back in Arcadia in three or four days if you'd prefer." Chloe said as she tossed her bag into the truck bed.

"Fuck no." Max answered, mirroring Chloe's actions on the other side of the vehicle. "The longer, the better."

They climbed into the truck's cab where Chloe kissed Max on the lips before getting comfy in the driver's seat. "So... San Fran first? Spend a couple of days there?"

"That sounds... awesome." Max smiled, putting her camera bag on the seat between them.

"Then shall we go up the Pacific highway? Follow the coast?" Chloe asked, leaning on the steering wheel before she started the engine.

"You're the driver." The brunette said with a slight shrug. "As long as I'm with you..."

Chloe smiled and leaned over to give Max another kiss. "You're so sweet."

She removed her jacket and started the engine once Max was comfortable once more. Following the road signs towards the state highway Chloe gradually took them away from LA. Max leaned against the door, probably watching the landscape pass them by but made no attempt to reach for her camera. Almost three hours out of LA Max started opening up, talking to Chloe more and smiling at her bad jokes, but the punk could tell something was on her mind and decided to leave the highway and pull over to the side of a secluded road.

Chloe opened her window and took her pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, placing one to her lips and putting the pack away while she reached for her lighter in another pocket. Max watched her, a curious look in her blue eyes, but Chloe said nothing while she waited for her girlfriend to tell her what was on her mind. She knew it wouldn't take Max long to open up, she just had to wait and be patient with her.

"Chloe, I don't want to go." Max said quietly as Chloe lit her cigarette.

"I know." She answered, blowing the smoke out the window. "So... tell me to turn around."

"We have to go back though." The small girl said, moving her camera bag to her other side.

"Only if you want to Max."

"Why are you so calm about this?" Max asked, sounding angry.

Chloe smiled and blew more smoke out the window before answering. "Max... I'll go wherever you want to go. I don't fucking care where we are, as long as I'm with you."

"You know what I really want to do right now..." The brunette said, looking at Chloe.

"Name it, anything you want." She answered. "I won't say no."

With a smirk on her pretty lips, Max slid across the seat towards Chloe but didn't lean into her like she was expecting. The brunette turned into Chloe and slipped her leg over Chloe's lap and straddled her. Her cigarette was taken out of her hand, stubbed out on the outside of the door and discarded through the window as the small girl softly kissed Chloe's lips. Max was in control, sliding her hand up the inside of Chloe's vest top where it stopped just below the fabric of her black bra, teasing the blunette as she wondered how far her girlfriend was already wanting to go.

Chloe bit teasingly at Max's bottom lip as the girl pulled away from their kiss, a smile on her lips as she ran a probing finger under the edge of the bra. She was testing her, seeing how far she could go before the punk would stop her. Nobody could see them, and Chloe had just said she wouldn't say no to whatever the brunette wanted.

"Don't be shy..." Chloe said, smirking at the girl she loved.

The brunette pressed a little closer as her hands went behind Chloe's back to undo her bra. Chloe watched Max curiously as she sat back, the girl's fingers under the fabric she had just released until she touched the sides of Chloe's breasts. Max was watching Chloe just as closely, obviously waiting for the punk to say stop but the words never came, she couldn't say no to her.

Max slipped her right hand from under the bra and instead caressed Chloe's cheek, her left hand gently groping her breast below the fabric of the bra. Chloe's breathing increased, she wanted to pin the brunette to the seat and relieve some of their stresses together, but she had to wait. She wanted to wait for Max to be ready.

Holding the back of Max's neck she gently pulled the brunette into another passionate kiss, teasing her tongue and trying to convey through action just how much the girl meant to her, just how far she was willing to go with the girl she loved. Max pulled away and released Chloe's cheek, instead taking hold of the punk's hand and teasingly placing it under her shirt on her stomach.

"You sure?" Chloe asked, nuzzling Max's nose gently. "You don't have to..."

"I'm sure." Max answered with a nod. "I won't say no to you." She smirked.

Chloe bit the girl's bottom lip playfully and kissed her again, but didn't take advantage of Max's offer. Instead she wrapped her arms around her waist and turned sideways, pushing the girl off her lap and onto the truck's seat, ending up between her legs as they made out in the truck. Max's hand never left her breast, instead applying a little more pressure as their kiss intensified. Chloe carefully worked the dark blue t-shirt up off of Max's midriff, making it easier to grope her smaller breasts through her bra.

They remained entangled in each other's arms, caressing and exploring each other's upper bodies. It was such a new and wonderful experience to become lost in the touch of her childhood friend, somebody she had trusted so deeply. Every new touch sent a tingle up her spine and she wanted to take Max to a place she'd never experienced, to give herself fully to the brunette who had saved her and reclaimed her heart in just a week.

As their lips parted for the last time Max was looking deeply into Chloe's eyes, a happiness behind them that the punk loved to see.

"I've never done that before..." Max smirked, not yet pulling her shirt down.

"Never?" Chloe asked, gently playing with Max's hair.

"You're pretty much going to be my first everything Chloe, better get used to it." Max was grinning from ear to ear and Chloe knew she was smiling too.

"It's still hard to believe." She responded, looking into the girl's sapphire eyes. "You're so pretty Max, you could have had anybody you wanted."

Max shrugged and placed a hand to Chloe's cheek. "Well... if it means anything to you, I only want you."

Chloe smiled and pressed her lips against her girlfriend's firmly, which was reciprocated by the brunette without resistance.

Finally disentangling themselves from one another, Chloe reclasped her bra and pulled her vest top straight, grinning as Max had to do the same. Chloe started the engine of the truck and returned them to the Pacific highway, intent on getting them to San Francisco so they could spend some more time together before having to return to Arcadia.

Max's dark mood didn't return, instead she slid over to lean with her back against Chloe, her legs and feet up on the seat. Chloe wrapped her arm around the girl, confident she wouldn't need to shift gears any time soon.

"Just tell me if I'm in the way." Max said as she held Chloe's hand.

"You'll know if you are." Chloe replied, giving her hand a squeeze. "Are we taking any pictures in San Fran?"

"Of course, and you have to be in them." The girl said, hooking her foot into the strap of her camera bag and dragging it closer so she could reach it with her hand.

"Well I did offer to model for you."

"Exactly." Max had taken her camera out of the bag and was carefully aiming it at them. "Say..."

"I love you." Chloe said with a big smile. Max took the shot and laughed quietly to herself.

"I love you too." She answered, flapping the polaroid before looking at it.

Chloe glanced at the picture and was happy to see the massive smile on Max's face when she told her she loved her, caught forever in a photograph.

* * *

They reached San Francisco late into the evening. After stopping for their steamy make out session on a secluded road and getting something to eat not long later, they'd managed to spend the rest of their day on the road. Max was reluctant to put a large charge to her father's credit card, but after a quick phone call to her parents she was told to spend as much as they needed to, it was just money and they had more than enough for their daughter to be safe and comfortable. Even Chloe was apprehensive at going all out on a credit card, she didn't want to cause problems for Max and her parents.

Max was the one to decide on the hotel, as well as the room they got. Chloe wasn't surprised when she opened the room door and saw a king size bed once more. She dropped their bags at the foot of the bed and looked at the brunette, who had sat herself on the edge of the bed looking tired, she couldn't let her sleep without a good meal and gently took the girl's hands, leading her back out of the room and down into the hotel's dining area.

When they were happily fed they returned to the hotel room, kicking off their shoes and throwing their jackets on a chair in the corner of the room. Max stripped down to her underwear, placed her phone on the bedside table and got into bed, a cheeky smirk on her sweet face as Chloe mirrored her actions.

"Perv." Chloe whispered as she got into bed beside the brunette.

"Mhm." Max responded quietly, placing her arm across Chloe's stomach and snuggling into her.

Chloe was about to reach for her phone and check the days messages when Max kissed the top of her chest and nuzzled in closer. She didn't know whether to take that as a sign to go further, whether Max wanted to make out again, or if she was just getting comfy to fall asleep. They'd never been in their underwear in bed together before, normally wearing t-shirts for the night, so she was confused, uncertain. She wouldn't say no if Max did want to take things further between, especially after earlier.

As Max's breathing became heavier she let out a sigh and grabbed her phone from the bedside table, looking through the day's messages. Her mom had text as normal, checking in on her, but she was surprised to see a text from somebody she hadn't spoken to in months. She opened the message curiously.

**Steph:**

_Hey Chloe. It's been a while. I heard about Rachel, and Arcadia. I am so sorry you had to go through all that! I'm back in Arcadia for the memorial, so I hope to see you too, for old times sake? I'm here for you if you need anything, don't be a stranger Chloe!  
_

Her finger hovered over the delete key for a moment. She knew the girl meant well, but she had no idea what they could possibly talk about.

**Chloe:**

_Hey Steph. Sure, we can meet up. You'll finally get to meet Max as well.  
_

She hit the send key and dropped the phone on her chest, staring up at the ceiling. Max nuzzled into her again, getting comfy against her body, it made her smile as she imagined her future with the brunette. Every night they could cuddle up in bed together, watch a film and make out then fall asleep in each other's arms. They could go wherever Max wanted to as well, wherever her photography took them. She wondered for a moment what she could do to help them along when her phone vibrated against her chest, making her snatch it up before it woke the brunette beside her.

**Steph:**

_Nice to hear from you! I look forward to meeting her, you talked about her a lot! Are you free tomorrow? We can meet outside Blackwell!  
_

Chloe smiled at how excited Steph could appear through a text, though thinking back she'd never seen the girl as anything but calm and relaxed.

**Chloe:**

_We're not in AB right now. Currently in SF making our way back. Should be back before the Memorial if you wanna meet then?_

**Steph:**

_You're not in AB? Where've you been? What about Rachel? Your Mom?  
_

She sighed and carefully got out of bed, trying really hard not to wake Max who'd only just fallen asleep. Slipping into the bathroom she closed the door behind her and hit the call button for Steph.

"Hey Chloe, I guess a text would take too long?" Steph said when she answered her phone.

"Pretty much. We've been to LA, to say goodbye to Rachel in our own way." She answered, leaning against the sink and crossing her arm across her stomach.

"Did Max know her too?

"No... they'd never met. But Max helped me find Rachel after she went missing... she was there for me." Chloe was trying hard not to let her emotions into her voice, but talking about Rachel was still difficult.

"At least you had somebody Chloe, and you were both really brave. Like Callamastia." Steph sounded as though she laughed slightly and it made Chloe crack a small smirk.

"Yeah... brave." She nodded more to herself. "I think you'd really like Max."

"Well I'm looking forward to meeting her! Come back soon so we have time to hang out, okay?"

"Are you sticking around long after the memorial?"

"Yeah, for a little bit. Victoria wants me to go to that party and... I couldn't say no. You know me."

She let out a quiet laugh and nodded. "Yeah, you'll go to be nice."

"I have to ask... because you're talking really quietly... are you in bed with Max?"

"What?" Chloe said, taken aback by the sudden question. "No, no no. She's asleep and I didn't want to wake her."

"But you're staying in the same room, aren't you?"

"It's cheaper." She wanted to tell the truth and admit how much she adored the brunette, while at the same time she didn't want their relationship becoming public knowledge before they even got back to Arcadia. She didn't think Steph would tell anybody, but word always managed to spread at Blackwell.

"Yeah... cheaper. Well if you won't tell me now, maybe you'll tell me when I see you?" Steph asked, still trying to get an answer.

"Maybe. So... I'm going to go and sleep, or at least try to."

"Alright. Drive safe, and I'll see you soon." Steph sounded sincere and it made Chloe smile.

"Will do. Night Steph."

She hung up the phone and turned to look into the mirror above the sink, staring at the strawberry blonde roots in her blue hair and sighing that she would have to dye it again so soon. If she asked Max in the morning she could probably get her to do it and hold off on having to leave San Francisco for another day, postponing their inevitable trip north. Turning her arm towards the mirror she looked at her tattoo, tracing the reds and greens just like Rachel used to do, appreciating what the butterflies now represented after Max's photograph of a blue butterfly that could have ended her life.

There was a knock on the bathroom door, shocking her out of her reverie. She looked towards the door as it slowly opened and the brunette beyond looked at her curiously. She looked sleepy, but also worried. Chloe smiled comfortingly and pulled the girl into a hug.

"Couldn't sleep?" Max asked. "I heard you talking."

"Made a call to an... old friend. I didn't want to wake you." She answered, already stroking the back of Max's hair.

"I noticed you were gone." The girl shrugged, tilting her head back so she could look at Chloe. "I... got worried."

Chloe smiled and almost laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing to worry about. In fact... I need your help."

"What with?" Max frowned.

"I need you... to help me dye my hair tomorrow. My roots are showing."

Max finally laughed, allowing a smile to spread across her face. "Do you need a haircut too?"

"Can I trust you with the scissors?" Chloe asked playfully.

"Well if I get it wrong..." Max held out her left hand, a cheeky smirk on her own face.

"I thought you weren't going to use it?"

"Getting to see your reaction to a bad haircut? That's something I'd love to see."

"Don't you fucking dare!" She laughed, tickling Max's sides in revenge for the threat.

"Fuck... no...!" Max yelped, pulling away from Chloe and rushing back into the bedroom.

Chloe gave chase, watching the small girl jump up onto the bed trying to stay out of her grip. She grabbed Max's ankle and pulled her leg out, causing the girl to fall onto her back on the bed. Before she could recover Chloe jumped ontop of her, straddling her hips and pinning her hands above her head with one hand and tickling her side with the other. The girl squirmed under the sudden tickling onslaught, kicking her feet trying to dislodge the punk, laughing all the while.

When she released her hands she lay on top of the brunette and kissed her sweetly.

"How did we get here?" Max asked quietly, her hands on Chloe's hips. "How do I deserve you... after everything I did?"

"Max... you saved my fucking life." Chloe argued straight away. "You trusted me with your secret, with your gift, and after all the shit I did you still gave me another chance."

"So... you're only with me because..."

"Don't. No." She sat up and looked down at the brunette. "I'm not with you because you're my saviour Max. I'm with you because I care about you, because I... never understood it as a kid, you were my best friend... you were never supposed to fucking leave me and you did."

"Chloe... I..."

"Shut up and listen to me Max." She got off the brunette and sat with her back against the headboard. "When I was a kid... and you left me... I was fucking heartbroken. You were my best friend forever, the person I shared everything with and you were just gone." Max sat up beside her, a scared look in her eyes but Chloe had to get this out, had to explain it for her to understand. "I never understood that feeling until... until Rachel."

"Rachel... again." Max sighed sadly.

"Yes, Rachel. Knowing her... helped me understand how I felt about you. All that shit I didn't get as a kid. But you were gone, we never talked. So I tried to get over you and Rachel was... fucking awesome. She disappears and six months later you're back in my life for a day and I'm daring you to make a move on me with your awesome fucking powers!"

"You were testing me..." The girl said quietly. Chloe hoped she was starting to understand what she was trying to say.

"I wanted to know if you felt the same way about me! I was guessing, hoping... and like I told you, in one week you made me happier than I'd felt in years! Max... I was already in love with you. I've loved you for fucking years and you weren't there!"

"I... I... didn't know. I only started to understand after... after..."

"The dare... our first kiss." Chloe said with a soft smile. "You took me by surprise, but I am so glad you did."

"Chloe I..."

"Shut up." She repeated, turning towards the brunette and taking hold of her hands. "I'm not with you because you saved me. I'm with you because I fucking love you, because I want to be with you."

"You've no idea how that makes me feel." Max whispered, turning towards Chloe. "I can't even explain it."

"Then don't try... just accept it. Accept the fact I am with you forever." She said, resting her forehead against Max's. "I'm never giving up."

"I'm never giving you up." Max responded with a smile. "Not even a tornado will keep me from you."

"I know. I think you've already proven that you dork."

Max laughed and nuzzled Chloe's nose gently. "We have all the time in the world, right?"

"And some more." Chloe winked with a cheeky smirk. "When we're done in Arcadia... we can go anywhere, do anything. I am never going to leave your side. I'm your bodyguard right?"

"Mhm." Max nodded, hooking her leg over Chloe's and snuggling in closer.

Chloe wrapped the brunette in her arms and kissed her forehead, content to be in each other's embrace without the need for more words. Even if it took all of her life, she would prove herself worthy of the love Max had shown her, of the sacrifice the brunette had made for her.


	4. Unwelcome Trip

Max had finally persuaded her girlfriend to trust her to cut her hair, but after her joke last night Chloe still didn't seem so trusting. They'd spent all morning going back and forth over the subject, even as they bought the hair dye in the shop Chloe was still not convinced to give Max a chance to play a rewind prank on her, despite Max's assurances that she wouldn't. At one point in the shop Max's hand had begun itching again, causing her to drop the item she had been holding and setting back most of her progress in persuading her girlfriend to trust her with the scissors.

With the hair dye and a simple stylist kit they had returned to their hotel bathroom where they wet Chloe's hair with the shower head, which turned into a game in its own right when Chloe quickly turned it on Max, soaking her shirt and face. She got her revenge when she playfully nudged her girlfriend into the shower, soaking Chloe from head to toe. Chloe grabbed Max by the shirt and pulled her under the shower with her, soaking Max entirely. They kissed under the falling water, another first for Max, another great memory to add to the list that Chloe was making with her.

She wasn't expecting it when Chloe started peeling off Max's shirt, but she accepted the progression without complaint, helping to remove Chloe's vest top and kissing the girl's collarbone. Looking up into Chloe's eyes she wasn't surprised to see something new behind the blue, a lust for Max that she'd kept hiding when they made out in bed. Chloe pinned her teasingly to the shower wall, kissing down her neck to her shoulder with her hands firmly on Max's hips. Max didn't know what she was thinking when she unclasped Chloe's bra and slid the straps down her arms, the only thing keeping her breasts covered was the pressure of their bodies against each other.

Chloe took a tentative step back, allowing her bra to fall to the floor between them and allowing Max to see her wonderful breasts properly for the first time. Max took a step forward and unclasped her own bra, the butterflies in her stomach as she was about to reveal her small chest to her girlfriend. Chloe gently helped her slide the straps down her arms, the bra fell away and they were equal once more. Soaked through and completely topless before each other. Max wanted to cross her arms against her chest, but Chloe took control, pulling her into a warm embrace and pressing their lips together once more. She relaxed into the contact, becoming less self-conscious the longer she remained in Chloe's arms.

She wanted more, to go further with the girl in her arms but Chloe seemed reluctant, she made no attempts to undo Max's jeans which frustrated her. It wasn't something she knew how to approach, how to tell Chloe what she wanted. It almost felt like the girl didn't want Max in that way, but she suppressed the thought, put it to the back of her mind as she relaxed in Choe's loving arms, the water falling on their bodies.

"That was... fun." Max whispered as she rest her head against Chloe's chest.

"It was new." Chloe agreed, her fingertips gently running up Max's bare back.

"For you too?" She asked, listening to Chloe's rapidly beating heart.

"Mhm. Never made out in the shower before." Max smiled at the news, oddly glad she was Chloe's first for something at last.

They remained under the warm water for a short while, allowing time for their hearts to stop racing. The truth was Max didn't want to be parted from her, everytime they got so close she wanted to remain in her arms.

"Come on..." Chloe said, sounding reluctant. "You still have to do my hair." She smiled at Max, who couldn't help but smile back.

They turned off the shower and grabbed the towels, peeling off their soaked jeans and socks and dropped them on the shower floor. Max rushed into the bedroom to get a dry shirt and some underwear, she changed quickly and returned to the bathroom to see Chloe completely naked, drying her legs. Max stopped in the door, surprised yet frozen on the spot, unsure whether to turn away or admire Chloe's exquisite body.

"Get me some underwear?" Chloe asked, a smirk on her lips.

"Sure..." Max squeaked, turning back into the bedroom to go through Chloe's bag.

Once more she returned to the bathroom where Chloe had wrapped the towel around her chest. Max handed over the underwear, which Chloe put on beneath the towel and finally sat down on the stool they'd placed before the sink. Max knelt on the floor and looked through the stylist kit for the scissors, then stood up and approached her girlfriend to trim her hair. Max couldn't help but laugh as Chloe closed her eyes.

"For fucks sakes Max, you're not supposed to be laughing when you're about to cut my hair!" Chloe said loudly, opening her eyes and staring at Max through the bathroom mirror.

"I'm sorry, you just looked so funny." She said, grinning at Chloe.

"I'm nervous you're gonna cut my ear off!" Chloe argued playfully, shaking her head and leaning away from Max as she stood behind the blunette.

"I'm a photographer Chloe, I have steady hands you dork." Max pulled the girl up to sit straight in front of the mirror.

"Surgeons have steady hands..." Chloe grumbled as Max started trimming the girl's wet hair.

"And so do I... now stop moving or I'll cut your eyebrows instead." She said, her tongue between her lips as the concentrated on getting it right first time.

It didn't take Max long to cut the long strands of her girlfriend's hair, tidying it up more than giving her a proper cut. Chloe was watching the whole time, flinching as the scissors snipped a strand followed by a sigh of relief. When Max finally put the scissors down she pushed her forward playfully and looked through the bag on the floor for the hair dye.

"Not bad." Chloe said, admiring her wet hair in the mirror. "Did you have to rewind any mistakes?"

"Steady hands..." Max grinned, putting the blue dye on the sink.

"Nice work babe." Chloe nodded, picking up the dye and opening the box for its contents.

"Babe huh?" Max asked, leaning down and wrapping her arms around Chloe's neck. "I... like that. Keep using it."

"Do you want your hair dyed too? Make us matching partners?" Chloe smirked. Max saw the twinkle in her blue eyes and knew she was playing.

"I'll pass, thank you. You're cool enough for both of us."

"Not even one strand?" Chloe pushed, putting on the puppy eyes that Max always had trouble saying no to. "Come on Max... for me?"

"What would you say if I asked you to return to being blonde?" Max whispered into her ear, trying very hard not to give in.

"I'd do it for you." Chloe answered and Max believed her. "You want me to? We can go and get the dye remover now."

Max shook her head with a smile on her face. "No... I like it blue too." She kissed Chloe's cheek sweetly.

"I'd still do it..." Chloe smirked, teasing Max as she waved the hair dye in her hand subtly.

"One highlight... no more." She finally relented, getting a small cheer from the beautiful girl.

By the end of their dyeing session Chloe's hair had returned to its normal bright blue with the odd pinkish roots. Max couldn't understand why it kept doing that, despite the amount of dye they had used trying to turn it completely blue. Chloe just shrugged her shoulders, happy with the results once again. The real fun had been dyeing the single highlight into Max's brunette hair, with Chloe clearly having fun throughout the whole process while trying to persuade Max to agree to more. In the end Chloe gave up, but only after Max had kissed her passionately just to shut her up and take her mind off Max's hair.

They got dressed in dry clothes and went down to the hotel dining area for lunch and extended their stay by another day at the front desk. She wanted more time to explore San Francisco and spend time with her new girlfriend, more time to decide whether she was really ready to do something she'd been thinking about since their fumble in the truck. Last night when Chloe had her pinned she had been sorely tempted to sit up and kiss the blunette when she was done tickling her, tempted to give herself completely to the girl she'd only been dating for a few days. Then again in the shower, she'd wanted so much more but couldn't bring herself to tell Chloe, to get the girl to go further with her. It was a maddening thought, constantly on her mind now that she had somebody she wanted to finally share herself with.

She was grateful when the food arrived and she could take her mind off the sexual thoughts running around her mind.

_At least they're better than thinking about Arcadia Bay._ She smirked to herself.

"Something you wanna share?" Chloe giggled. "I saw you smirking."

"Thinking about last night." She answered, trying not to blush. "And the truck... and..."

Chloe grinned and nodded. "Yeah... I know how that feels. Can't get it out of your head?"

Max shook her head, grateful that Chloe understood how she was feeling and what she was thinking.

"Well... you have two choices when we're finished eating." Chloe said quietly. "One, we go out and be tourists, take some pictures and show off your new hair."

"And the other?" Max asked, thinking she already knew where this was going.

"We go back upstairs and make out like teenagers again. I'm easy either way." She smirked playfully.

"I think... we'll go and be tourists." Max said, trying to sound confident. "We have all the time in the world to do... other things."

"Oh... okay." Chloe shrugged, looking a little sad with Max's decision.

"You dork..." Max laughed. "Option 2... I'm only a teenager once."

* * *

After spending almost the entire day in their hotel room they decided to get out and see more of San Francisco the following day. Max wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge and take pictures from Vista point, as well as visit some of the famous parks and landmarks. She was happily in her element, taking pictures of Chloe at each location as she posed for her as promised. Chloe stole her camera a number of times to take pictures of Max as well, teasing her about how easy it was to take the perfect shot. A number of times Max thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked to see what it was she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, just a couple of punk looking girls walking away from the monument, holding each other's hands like a couple.

When they reached Vista Point it was late in the evening, the sun was making its descent to the west creating a beautiful view for Max to take pictures of. Taking her time she took as many pictures as she could, of the bay, the views and especially Chloe. Her girlfriend had become her muse, she wanted to take more shots of her than anything else.

Finally done taking pictures she leaned against the low wall and watched the light playing across the waters of the San Francisco Bay, thinking of the view from the lighthouse in Arcadia as the tornado destroyed the town. Chloe wrapped a comforting arm around her waist, the side of her head against Max's as they both looked out on the city. She fumbled with her camera bag trying to put the camera away safely, Chloe took the bag and helped hold it, watching her with some concern in her eyes. With the camera safely away she wrapped an arm around Chloe and sighed.

"I love this view." She said quietly, turning a little more towards her girlfriend and placing her right hand on the girl's stomach.

"I'm glad I got to see it with you." Chloe responded, her hand on top of Max's. "The first of many, right?"

Max nodded and smiled, thinking of the future they would have together, the many memories they would get to create together. "Can we stay... another day?"

"Sure." Chloe answered quickly. "We can make the drive to Portland in two days if we have to."

"Good." Max smiled, watching the sun going down on her right.

It was a beautiful sight, one she could never get enough of. It reminded her of all those nights with Chloe watching the sun go down in Arcadia when they were playing around as pirates. Thinking she saw a girl she recognised she turned to look when her hand started aching causing her to gasp with pain.

"Whats up?" Chloe asked, her voice full of concern.

"My hand's started hurting again." She said, withdrawing her arm from around Chloe to look at her left hand. There was nothing wrong with it, no visible sign of injury, but it ached deep inside.

"Maybe... it's a build up of power?" Chloe whispered. "When you got it, you used it pretty regularly. You haven't used it in..."

"Over a week." Max answered, stretching her fingers outwards then clenching a fist, the ache was easing away quickly.

Chloe sat on the wall and pulled Max to sit beside her with their backs to the Bay. She wrapped her arm over Max's shoulders but kept looking at Max's hand curiously. Max thought her theory could be right, but it could be the power finally leaving her alone. Quietly she hoped it was the latter, so she could be free of the curse and move on with her life without worrying about accidentally using a rewind, or looking at a photograph too long and appearing in the past.

"I don't know Max." Chloe shrugged, sounding upset that she couldn't help.

"It's okay." Max smiled, once again turning towards her girlfriend and kissing her cheek. "Don't worry about it. If I lose them... I don't care. I've already got you, this is as perfect as it's going to get."

"For now." Chloe winked, wrapping her other arm around Max and resting her chin on her slender shoulder.

"What do you see in our future?" Max asked quietly.

"Our future huh?" Chloe replied, leaning back to look at Max with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Yes. Our future."

"A house. Loads of photographs of us on the walls. A better truck..." She smirked happily. "I have to think big! You're going to be a world famous photographer after all."

"And you're my loyal bodyguard, my Lara Croft." Max giggled, thinking about how they would discuss this as kids. It made her realise just how close they'd been to already discuss their future together.

"I don't think I have the tits to be Lara." Chloe whispered into Max's ear.

"I'm not complaining." Max responded, blushing when she said it.

"You get one grope..." Chloe started to say when Max kissed her to stop her completing her sentence.

Max held the girl in their moment, following Chloe's lead as she teased her lips with her tongue. They were lost in their own little world as the sun set and the darkness closed in around them. Reluctantly they parted, but Max smiled into Chloe's pretty blue eyes and ran her hand through her newly dyed blue hair.

"I don't think I say this enough..." Chloe whispered, gently stroking Max's blue highlight out of her eyes.

"What?"

"I'm so glad I've got you."

"You're right... you don't say it enough." Max grinned cheekily. "I want to hear you say it more often."

"Oh? Anything else you'd like?" Chloe laughed, squeezing Max in her arms.

"More kisses, more time in bed... and to hear you say..." She didn't get to complete her sentence.

"I love you." Chloe said, finishing the sentence with a smile.

"I love you too."

"Anything else? Maybe a foot massage? A hunky guy who delivers your meals?"

"Now that you mention it... let's get something to eat." Max said, standing up and stretching in front of her girlfriend. Chloe remained seated, watching Max's body with a cheeky look in her blue eyes. "Perv." She quickly added.

"I'm admiring." Chloe retorted, standing up and placing an arm around Max's waist as they walked back towards the truck.

"I'll remember that when I'm watching you in the morning and you call me a perv."

"That's different."

"How is that different?" Max asked, leaning against the driver side door to stop Chloe getting out of explaining.

"You're clothed right now..." Chloe answered, a cheeky grin on her face as she pressed her body up against Max's, their lips so close Max could feel Chloe's warm breath on her face.

"You're clothed in the morning." Max retorted, keeping her eyes fixed on Chloe's, anticipating the moment they would kiss again.

"I'm in my underwear in the morning."

"You weren't wearing your bra this morning." Max grinned playfully, placing her hands on Chloe's back beneath her jacket, keeping her body close.

"You just proved my point Caulfield." Chloe smirked before finally pressing her lips to Max's.

They heard a wolf whistle which ruined their moment as they both started laughing. Max looked around Chloe and saw a few teenage boys walking past, watching them both in their embrace with wide smiles on their faces.

"Looking good blue!" One of the boys shouted, causing his friends to laugh.

"Come on..." Chloe smirked, pulling Max aside and opening the trucks door. "Let's get some food. Anything you'd like in particular?"

"Burger... fries... milkshake." Max said, listing off the things she wanted most right now. "You." She added shyly as she climbed into the truck through the driver side door.

"I can arrange all that." Chloe said, climbing in after Max. "Especially the me part... I might be able to stretch to that."

"Only might?" Max asked, leaning against the passenger door.

"I have to keep you interested somehow." Chloe winked suggestively.

* * *

When they were finally leaving San Francisco two days later they barely said anything. They didn't have long to get to Arcadia to attend the memorial and while Max was reluctant to going back, something was driving her to return to the place of her guilt, just like when she returned to attend Blackwell. The first time she had been afraid of meeting Chloe again and receiving a torrent of abuse for being the worst friend in history, this time she was afraid her secret would be uncovered and the survivors would blame her.

The hours rolled by and the landscape passed, but her mood only grew darker. She tried distracting herself with thoughts of their time in both LA and San Francisco, the touch of Chloe's skin against her own as they made out in bed. Waking up in the mornings to hugs and laughter and trying to decide what to do. She wanted to return to the warm bed in the hotel and let the days slip by without worry, to lose herself to Chloe's touch.

She slid across the truck seat and put her feet up, she leaned back against the girl she loved and felt Chloe's arm wrap around her upper chest, holding her close.

"Let me know if you want me to drive for a bit." She offered, fiddling with the zip on her jacket.

"You're good Max." Chloe said, caressing Max's cheek with her hand. "I like driving... gives me something to focus on."

Max smiled at Chloe's explanation and knew exactly what she meant.

It was the most uneventful trip they could have imagined. The journey south had been far better, full of laughter and aspirations. Traveling north was the opposite, even Chloe's normal jovial mood had flipped to a dark drier wit. Neither of them wanted to go back, yet like trained dogs they were returning to their parents because they'd been asked to.

The first night out of San Francisco they stayed in a different motel to the one they'd stayed in on the way south. Max dropped onto the double bed and sighed, thinking about where they would be in twenty four hours and not looking forward to it. Chloe dropped their bags on the floor and disappeared into the bathroom, giving Max a moment to kick off her shoes and remove her jacket, throwing it onto one of the chairs under the window.

When Chloe came back through she kicked off her own boots and dropped her jacket on the same chair as Max's, then sat in the other seat with her own sigh. She looked tired, stressed and uncomfortable, but when she noticed Max was staring at her she smiled happily.

"So... tomorrow." Max said quietly.

"Arcadia Bay..." Chloe nodded, her mood darkening. "We'll go to the memorial, meet up with Steph..."

"And Kate..." Max added.

"And Kate." Chloe smiled, getting out of the chair and sitting beside Max. "Then we'll get the fuck out of there, we'll go to fucking Miami if we have to, stop them asking us to come back again."

"Or New York." Max sat up and leaned against Chloe, feeling the girl's arm wrap around her waist to hold her close.

"We'll go wherever. We'll go on our adventures, like we always dreamed about."

Max had nothing she could add to their plan and decided to start getting ready for bed. Standing up she grabbed her toiletries from her bag, quietly sneaking Chloe's new toothbrush out of her bag and went into the bathroom to freshen up before bed. The motel was of motel standards, but she didn't mind. It would be the last one they stayed in for a few days at least, weeks if her parents insisted on them going to Seattle after Arcadia. She brushed her teeth and cleaned her face, even brushed her hair, unable to avoid admiring the mark Chloe had left on her. The highlight in her hair and the clothes she wore made her wonder how long it would be before she was getting a tattoo. The idea of it made her smile, especially if it was something personal to Chloe as well.

Returning to the bedroom she saw Chloe outside the motel door, leaning with her back against the railing, a cigarette in her hand. She smiled at Max and stubbed out what was left, flicking it away over the railing into the carpark, and returned to the warmth of their room, closing the door behind her. Max slid her toothbrush back into the girl's bag and put her own toiletries away.

"I saw you sneak my toothbrush." Chloe said, pulling Max to her feet.

"Well... yours is new." Max shrugged. "Plus... I always use your toothbrush."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she put her arms around Max's neck. "Do you know how much bacteria and shit is on a toothbrush?"

"More than I have in my mouth?" Max asked, she was never any good at science. Even making the pipe bomb had been through somebody else's instructions.

"Pretty much." Chloe nodded, giving Max a quick kiss on the nose. "So now... I'm going to use your brush and hope I don't get sick."

"And what are you implying?" Max said as her girlfriend released her and started rummaging through her bag for her own toiletries.

"You could have the cooties." Chloe shrugged as she stood back up with Max's toothbrush in hand.

"Better not touch me then, I could infect you!"

Chloe laughed as she disappeared through the bathroom door, leaving Max alone for a short time. Unlike Chloe she didn't smoke, so she didn't need a moment to light up and get a fix for her addiction. Instead she stripped out of her clothes down to her underwear and bra and started looking through her bag for a shirt to wear to bed. At first she was looking in her own bag, then a cute idea intruded in her mind and she switched to looking through Chloe's for one of her white vest tops. She took the first one she could find and breathed in Chloe's familiar smell that clung to the fabric. Pulling the shirt on it hung from her petite form, covering her ass but barely covering her sides, she could get used to it, especially to sleep in.

She climbed onto the bed and sat against the headboard, slipping her legs below the covers just as Chloe returned from the bathroom. Chloe let out a low whistle, obviously looking at Max's choice of bed apparel.

"What ya think? Ready for the mosh pit?" Max grinned happily.

"Don't even try to finish that sentence." Chloe laughed, dropping her toiletries on her bag. "So... you like my clothes too huh?"

"Maybe to sleep in. But if you don't like it..." She bit her bottom lip, wondering how far she could take this, whether she could get Chloe to stop being chivalrous. "You should come over here and take it off me?"

"Oh really?" Chloe said, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Are you... trying to seduce me, Miss Caulfield?" She approached Max's side of the bed, leaning in close when Max put out a hand to stop her getting onto the bed.

"You're wearing too much to get into bed." She said, trying to sound confident yet inviting. Chloe seemed to take the hint as she stood back and removed her top, followed closely by her jeans and socks. "That's better" Max smirked, allowing Chloe to pull back the covers and climb on top of Max.

They needed something to take their minds off of the following day, to lighten the mood for the night without it feeling forced. Their love for one another was the perfect distraction for Max, she didn't have to think beyond the blue eyed girl she adored.

* * *

Max rolled onto her side as the morning sun broke through the motel curtains, shining on her face. Groaning she pulled the pillow over her face and tried to smother the light so she could go back to sleep, but when she felt Chloe's fingertips on her back she soon forgot all ideas of more sleep. Rolling onto her other side she peeked out from beneath the pillow and saw Chloe's bright eyes looking at her, a smile playing on her perfect lips.

"Morning sleepy." Chloe whispered, pushing the pillow aside so she could place her face closer to Max's.

"Hey. Did you sleep much?" Max asked, nuzzling Chloe's nose sweetly.

"A bit. I've not been awake for long, you must have worn me out."

"By making out? You have low stamina." Max smirked cheekily.

"It's the cigarettes."

Max bit back the natural retort she wanted to give, she could never ask somebody to stop something just because she didn't like it. "We have to go... don't we?" She said sadly, thinking of the day ahead. Chloe was all too aware of where Max's thoughts had gone and quickly wrapped her in her arms, kissing her forehead protectively.

"It'll be okay. I'll be with you the whole time, I won't leave your side." Chloe whispered comfortingly.

"I know..." Max mumbled, once more thinking of all the faces of the dead.

Slowly she worked up the courage to get out of bed and get dressed. Her choice of clothes came down to the punkish look Chloe had introduced her to with Rachel's clothes which had been reinforced by their shopping trip in LA. The shirt she chose was black with subtle blue butterflies on the shoulders which would be hidden by the black jacket she would be wearing over the top. Then she pulled out a pair of black jeans without the rips they had purchased, completing her look. Chloe had also opted for more subdued colours, considering their return to a town in mourning.

"Think we bought enough black?" Chloe asked, doing a small turn for Max to admire her.

"Yeah, I think so." Max nodded, indicating her own clothes.

"Those butterflies though..." Chloe said, standing in front of Max and admiring the pattern. "It suits you."

"It seems fitting, all things considered." Max said quietly, leaning into Chloe and hugging the girl tightly.

They left the motel in low spirits, the weight of Max's guilt was heavy upon her shoulders once more despite her efforts over the past week to get past it. Every hour that passed they grew closer to the source of her depression. She remained tightly pressed against Chloe's side, waiting for the inevitible view of Arcadia Bay and the damaged lighthouse where they had found shelter on that terrible night. The moment Max saw the lighthouse in the distance she felt sick, a primal need to turn and run took hold of her insides and she couldn't help but grip Chloe tightly.

They were back in Arcadia Bay.


	5. Confidence

In the two weeks since leaving Arcadia Bay it appeared as though a lot of work had already been done to clear the debris from the storm. The roads were open for traffic, except where large objects still crossed the street, but apart from the very obvious damage to the buildings it looked as though relief efforts were making excellent progress. The Two Whales Diner was still closed, but Chloe hadn't been expecting anything less after Max had told her what happened in the alternative timeline, she was just glad her mom had insisted on taking the day off when they had told David about the Dark Room.

When they arrived at Chloe's home it was late in the evening. They had expected the Caulfield's to already be there, but when she slammed the truck door closed she was surprised to only see her Mom standing at the front door, a smile of relief on her face. They grabbed their bags and trudged reluctantly over to Joyce, who hugged Chloe first, followed closely by Max who looked to Chloe as though the hug caused her pain.

"Let's get you both inside." Joyce said, stepping back to allow the two girls to enter.

Chloe was about to go straight upstairs with her bag when she felt her Mom's hand on the back of her jacket, guiding her carefully away from the stairs and into the living room where she took their bags from them and sat them both down at the dining table. Like the mother she was she fussed over Chloe's hair and clothes, it was the longest they'd been apart and her reaction was almost understandable.

"So... how've you both been?" Joyce asked, finally sitting down opposite the two girls.

"Been fine. Just... taking it easy." Chloe said, not really knowing what else to say.

"And how was LA?"

"Better than here." Chloe answered, placing her hand on Max's leg under the table to try to show some affection. "When's the memorial?" She asked, trying not to talk about what they'd done for Rachel.

"In a couple of days." Joyce answered. "And your parents will be here tomorrow Max, in case you were wondering."

"Where are they staying?" Max asked quietly.

"Here with us, David's managed to borrow an airbed which we can put down here. So you can both stay in Chloe's room and have your privacy."

Chloe smirked at just how close her Mom was to the truth. They were definitely going to want some privacy and a place they could go to without being under the watchful eyes of their parents. The gesture didn't go unnoticed to her Mom, who looked at her curiously.

"Thanks Mom." Chloe smiled, trying to dodge any awkward questions. "So... anything else? We're beat and I think Max wants to try to sleep."

"Actually, yes. The organisers would like Max to say something, if she'd like to."

"Me? Why me?" Max sounded shocked, almost appalled by the idea of standing before a crowd to speak.

"After saving that sweet girl, Kate, and helping to uncover..." Joyce looked at Chloe sadly and nodded. "People think you're a bit of a hero sweeheart. Even during the worst you were trying your best, and people need a little bit of hope during times like this.

"No. I can't do it." Max quickly answered, shaking her head. "I can't." She said again. Chloe put an arm around her, knowing just how difficult it had been for them to come back.

"It's alright." Chloe's Mom said, smiling gently at Max.

"Why ask so late into the planning?" Chloe asked, trying not to be too overt while trying to take care of her girlfriend.

"Kate will do it if Max says no. It was her idea to give Max the chance to say something. Why not talk to Kate tomorrow? Maybe the two of you could say something together?" Joyce offered, but Max was already shaking her head.

"She'll think about it." Chloe quickly said, giving Max a comforting squeeze to try to get her to go along with it. "We have to see Kate anyway, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Max shrugged, looking at Chloe like she'd gone mad.

"Mom we've had a long drive so..."

"I understand. I'm sure you both want to get some rest." Joyce said with a warm smile.

"Come on Max." Chloe said, standing up and allowing Max to lead the way upstairs.

They grabbed their bags and headed upstairs. Max stopped in front of Chloe's bedroom door, looking almost afraid of stepping foot inside the room once more. Chloe turned the handle and kicked the door open, then gently pushed her girlfriend inside. It was exactly as they'd left it two weeks ago, the wardrobe was open and empty, the laptop was off and their Arcadia Bay CSI board was propped against the side of the bed, pushed aside as they'd hunted for clothes. Max had dropped her bag beside the TV and sunk into Chloe's chair looking almost shocked to be back.

Chloe had never seen her in such a state before and quickly set about righting the room. She put her bag on top of Max's and carefully pushed the board away from the bed, leaning it against the wardrobe once again. Most of the information they had pinned to it was gone, used and discarded during their investigation into Rachel's disappearance. Their old drawings were once again on display, making Chloe smile at how well it had lasted over all the years.

Tearing her eyes away from their art she kicked the door closed and knelt down in front of Max, taking her smaller hands and giving them a gentle kiss as she tried to connect with her girlfriend. Max looked up at her and smiled weakly, a strange look in her eyes.

"It's okay." Chloe said softly.

"I know." Max nodded slowly. "I'm alright, just... surprised. You knew what people were thinking though, didn't you?"

"Steph told me." Chloe admitted with a shrug. "I didn't think they'd ask you to give a fucking speech though."

"I should have stayed away." Max said sadly. "I'm no fucking hero."

"You're my hero Max. You're Kate's hero. Be proud of that babe."

Max sighed and leaned forward towards Chloe, who quickly wrapped the girl in her loving arms. "A few days... and we're gone." Max muttered, wrapping her own arms around Chloe's waist.

"We can go right after the memorial if you want, we'll sort it with your parents." Chloe offered, trying to make it as easy as possible for Max. "I want to leave again as much as you."

"I know Chloe." Max replied, nuzzling against Chloe's neck. "We'll sort it out when they get here."

Chloe sighed and held Max close, trying to think of something to do with the time they had. She wasn't as tired as she thought she would be and Max seemed to be wide awake thanks to the news from Chloe's Mom. She needed to find a way to take Max's mind off the upcoming memorial, give her some time to unwind, but the only thing she could think of was going out and chilling somewhere else for a while. They couldn't go to the junkyard, it was the one place neither of them could ever go back to after finding Rachel there.

The memory brought a tear to her eye once more and she had to let go of Max, standing up and turning away towards the desk to wipe her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to steady her emotions. She heard the creak of the floorboard and felt Max's hand on her shoulder, turning Chloe to face her.

"Talk to me..." Max whispered, placing a hand to Chloe's cheek. "Don't shut me out."

"I was... just thinking of trying to get us out for a bit." She answered honestly, rubbing her eyes as she thought of the blonde girl in the ground. "Thought of the junkyard and..." She bit her lip and looked past Max at the bed where she could recall Rachel sitting as she showed off her newly dyed blue hair so long ago.

She held onto Max tightly, the tears falling despite trying so hard not to cry. "You still miss her." Max said, holding her tightly.

"I didn't want to come back here. I didn't want to have to think about it again." She clung to Max and cried her heart out, unable to hold it back any longer. "This place... it's filled with memories of her."

"I'm so sorry Chloe."

The night became a blur as her tears obstructed her vision and the memories occupied her mind. Every time she thought she had it under control she saw Rachel as clear as day, bounding into her room with a wonderful smile on her face. The worst memory was from the morning she disappeared when they woke up in bed together, a new start to their lives. It made Chloe cry harder until she was dry heaving, out of tears to shed for her best friend.

It was one of her worst nights as the weight of that week crashed around her ears. For the last two weeks she had stayed strong for Max, trying to look after her and keep her safe, but she'd never got over Rachel's death, she'd never worked past the loss of her angel. Max held her close, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair as Chloe slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep, a depth she was happy to slip into to escape the tears.

* * *

Slowly Chloe opened her eyes to the morning light streaming into her bedroom through the two windows. Her head was on Max's chest and her arm was across her legs, she'd fallen asleep on the smaller girl, comforted by her presence and touch. As softly as she could she placed a loving kiss on Max's chest and started to move away when Max gripped her a little tighter to keep her close. Looking up she saw the girl's blue eyes looking down at her, a sweet smile on her face.

"Morning..." Chloe smiled, carefully moving herself up the bed to rest her head beside Max's on the pillow.

"Hey sleepy." Max said, rolling onto her side and gently touching Chloe's cheek.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked as she placed a hand on Max's hip, pulling her closer.

"Not long. I didn't want to wake you." Max answered, allowing Chloe to pull her as close as they could get with their clothes in the way.

"I'm sorry about last night." She said as last night's emotional breakdown came flooding back to her, all the tears she had shed for Rachel, all of the soothing words Max had said trying to calm her down and help her through it. It hadn't been fair to put Max through that when she'd been feeling low herself.

"Don't be." Max said with a smile. "You have to feel Chloe, you have to be honest with me too." She touched her head to Chloe's, their lips barely an inch apart.

Chloe smiled and kissed her girlfriend firmly. There was a knock on the bedroom door and before either of them could move away quickly enough Chloe's Mom walked into the room. Joyce looked between the two of them as they rolled away from one another, Max was blushing at the sudden interruption while Chloe had no idea what to say, biting her lip and closing her eyes as she braced for the question from her Mom.

"Huh..." Her Mom said. "Should have seen that coming." She continued and stepped back out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Chloe couldn't help but start laughing at her Mom's reaction, followed closely by Max giggling as they once more rolled onto their sides towards one another.

"Looks like your Mom knows now." Max said quietly.

"Which means Step-douche will know soon." Chloe grumbled, not looking forward to any words of wisdom from that man. "Shall we get out of here? Go see Steph or Kate?"

"Yeah... okay." Max agreed but she remained beside Chloe, her hand on Chloe side, running a fingertip over Chloe's skin just below her bra.

"I'm not going anywhere if you keep doing that." She whispered, touching her nose to Max's. "Come on... before step-douche tries to give us a speech."

"Give me a moment." Max replied before brushing her lips against Chloe's, a kiss so soft it barely registered at first, but it still brought a smile to her lips.

"I wish..." Chloe tugged at Max's jeans to make sure their bodies were as close as they could be. "I wish we could stay in bed... all day, especially when you kiss me like that."

"When we leave Arcadia Bay we can." Max grinned happily. "But let's get out of here."

Chloe released Max from her clutches as the girl rolled out of bed, already stripping off the shirt she wore yesterday as she walked past the CSI board to their bags. It was true when Max called her a perv, she couldn't help but watch her when she got dressed or undressed, obsessed as she was with the girl who had saved her life. She was surprised when a black vest top landed on her face, blinding Max from her view. She hadn't see that coming.

Like Max, she stripped off her vest top and pulled on the new one, smiling when she saw Max wearing another one of her new t-shirts, hiding the pattern once more beneath a plain black shirt. They found and put on their shoes and jackets that had been discarded randomly while Chloe had her meltdown, then left the bedroom behind, trying to be quiet as they descended the stairs.

There was no sign of David, but Chloe's Mom was in the kitchen, watching the small tv for the state news. Chloe heard the mention of some prostitution ring being busted, but didn't pay much attention to it.

"Where are you two off to so quickly?" Joyce asked, peering through the kitchen doorway at the two of them.

"Gonna go and see Steph, maybe Kate." Chloe answered, wondering if her Mom was going to ask about what she walked in on. She felt Max's hand in her own as the girl stood slightly behind her.

"Max's parents will be here later tonight, I'll text you before they arrive so you can get back, okay?"

"We'll be back." Max said quietly as she pulled Chloe towards the front door.

Chloe smiled as innocently as possible at her Mom as she allowed her girlfriend to pull her away from the conversation and out the front door. "See you later." Her Mom called after them as Chloe closed the door behind her.

"Tonight... is going to be really awkward." Chloe said as she climbed into the truck.

"My Dad knows and my Mom will understand." Max said, already leaning against the passenger door.

"Yeah, I guess we only need to worry about step-douche." She laughed, leaning to the side so she could take her phone out of her pocket. "Kate or Steph first?" She asked, letting Max decide.

"I'd like to meet Steph, I'm sure Kate won't mind waiting a little longer." Max answered while checking through her camera bag.

Chloe opened the texts on her phone, quickly found Steph's number and typed a message.

**Chloe:**

_Hey Steph, we're in AB. Wanna meet up?  
_

She hit the send key and didn't have to wait long for the reply.

**Steph:**

_Took you long enough. Meet me at Blackwell.  
_

**Chloe:**

_You're kidding right?  
_

**Steph:**

_No. Come to Blackwell. You'll see when you get here.  
_

Chloe sighed and showed Max the messages, then waited for her reaction.

"Fuck." Max muttered, passing the phone back.

"I know Steph said we could meet her there but... fucking Blackwell?" Chloe said, putting the phone back in her pocket.

"Let's... just get it over with." Max said, putting her feet up on the seat. Her mood had changed since they'd got in the truck, she wasn't happy and Chloe had no idea what she could do to cheer her up, short of leaving Arcadia Bay once more.

She started the truck's engine and reversed it out of the drive, just as she'd done a hundred times before, and drove them towards Blackwell Academy once more. Chloe wasn't looking forward to revisiting the halls of Blackwell, just visiting the grounds was torment enough after knowing she may have been destined to die there. A destiny Max had changed with one defiant act. She placed a hand on the girl's leg and squeezed reassuringly, hoping she would appreciate the gesture.

The parking lot was full, but Chloe assumed no buses would be running considering the state of the town and other vehicles were parked near the bay. She pulled into the open space and almost as soon as the engine died a number of people were running towards the passenger door. Max opened the door to be greeted by a shout and hugged by a number of people Chloe couldn't see through the press of bodies.

She jumped out of the truck and approached the crowd, only to be intercepted by a girl with auburn hair and a black beanie who gave her a quick hug which she returned politely.

"You finally made it." Steph said with a smile as she released Chloe from the hug.

"Yeah I was... hang on, Max needs rescuing." Chloe said awkwardly, catching the expression on Max's face. She looked overwhelmed by the amount of former students who were shaking her hand or giving her awkward hugs. "Alright! Break it up!" She yelled over the crowd, fighting her way through to Max.

"Kari Price." A familiar voice said from beside Max.

"For the last fucking time it's..." She started to say.

"Chloe. I know." Victoria said with a smile. "Alright people, back to your own little worlds! I think Max needs some space." She continued, pushing Courtney away from Max gently. "We'll catch up later." Victoria said, waving over her shoulder to Max.

"What... the fuck..." Max said, completely shocked as the students moved away on Victoria's orders, still welcoming Max back as they passed her.

"She's been bugging me for days asking when you were going to be back." Steph said from beside Chloe. "I tried telling her not to do it but... she seemed to want to give you a big hero's welcome."

"I'm no hero." Max shrugged as Chloe put an arm around her.

"That's a lie Max." A blonde haired girl said, the last person to remain behind.

"Kate!" Max smiled and pulled away from Chloe to hug the girl. "It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too Max." Kate replied, smiling at Chloe over Max's shoulder.

"Chloe... is it okay if..." Max started to say, releasing Kate and turning to Chloe.

"You don't need my permission, go ahead. I'm sure Steph won't mind either?" Chloe looked to Steph who shrugged.

"I've waited years to finally meet the legendary Max, a few more minutes won't hurt." Steph grinned at Max.

"Thank you... I'll be back soon." Max said, kissing Chloe on the cheek quickly before taking Kate's hand and walking across the grounds to one of the many benches that had been placed upon its once immaculate green grounds.

Chloe took a moment to look across the main Campus to see how it had changed. The statue in the centre of the fountain was gone, some of the trees had been ripped up but the building looked pretty much intact. It had survived the beating of the tornado. Benches had been placed across the grounds, now filled with former students and adults as well as a number of relief workers. She couldn't believe how different it looked, it was no longer green and vibrant but brown and dirty.

"It's changed." Chloe commented, watching Principal Wells talking to one of the old teachers. "I guess he's no longer a Principal." She smirked.

"He is, but Blackwell is closed for now. It has opened its doors to provide shelter for people who lost their homes in the storm, as well as families who have come back to help and pay their respects at the Memorial." Steph explained, taking Chloe's arm and guiding her across the grounds. "People have really come together Chloe, you'd be surprised."

"I already am." She answered, watching Victoria talking to her parents with Courtney.

"So... you and Max huh?" Steph said, sitting at one of the empty benches.

"We're that obvious?" Chloe smirked, sitting beside the girl so she could see Max talking to Kate across the footpath.

Steph laughed and nudged her in the side. "I saw it between you and Rachel, didn't I?" Chloe looked at the knowing smirk on Steph's face and nodded. "So when you called... you two were in bed together?"

"Nothing's happened, before you go thinking I'm rebounding." Chloe said quietly.

"I went to school with you Chloe, I heard you talk about Max and Rachel during that time. I think they're both special to you, but in different ways." Steph replied, leaning on the table in front of them. Chloe noticed she was watching Max as well. "Can I ask...?"

"What happened with Rachel?" Chloe said, she'd expected the question to come up eventually, but not so soon.

"Yeah, if you don't mind." Steph looked sideways at her. "How she..."

"Nobody's told you?" Chloe was surprised news like that hadn't spread faster.

Steph shook her head. "With the storm, it's not exactly big news. Just... another casualty of a shit time. But... I liked Rachel. I'd like to know how that... could have happened to the two of you."

Chloe bit her lip apprehensively, wondering how much she should say, especially if the Ambers' weren't telling everybody. "I don't know. We were fine, things were finally looking up and then... she was gone. Just like that. When Max came back I finally got a break. We found the bunker, and then we found... her." She said quietly. "Just... don't ask Max. She's still not over it." She lied, trying to protect Max from all of the questions.

"I understand." Steph said quietly. "I... saw some of the fliers you put up, when she went missing."

"How do you..."

"They were still inside the school and you're the only person I know who would spend six months looking for somebody." Steph smiled gently. "At least she had somebody who cared about her so much to keep looking."

"I just wish I could have found her. Alive." Chloe said, unable to take her eyes off of Max who was looking happier now that she was talking to Kate and people had left her alone.

"I think a lot of people feel that way about somebody right now." Steph said wisely. "Everybody here has lost somebody they know because of that storm. They're sharing your grief."

Chloe tried not to snort at the idea of sharing her grief with some of the people she could see, especially Victoria after all of the snide remarks she had endured from her over the years. It seemed almost karmic that Max's decision had instilled the same kind of loss in these people, that they were now suffering as Chloe had suffered for six months. She tried to shake the thought and not take any happiness from the fact people had died so she could live.

"Don't beat yourself up Chloe." Steph said, misinterpreting her silence. "I'm sure wherever Rachel is now she's happy you and Max found your way back together."

"A bit differently to how we left." Chloe laughed, watching Max hug Kate once more and start heading their way without her.

"Hey." Max said as she sat down opposite Chloe.

"Max this is Steph. Steph, the Legendary Max Caulfield." Chloe said with a flourish and a laugh.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Steph said with a bright smile.

"It's nice to meet you too." Max replied.

"Chloe mentioned you a lot, especially the things you two used to do together." Steph explained, nudging Chloe in the side again. "She won't admit it, but I think she really missed you."

"Shut up." Chloe said awkwardly as Max reached across the table to take her hand.

"I missed her too." Max smiled at Chloe as they held hands across the table. "So when she almost ran me over with her truck, you can imagine I was really surprised." She grinned.

"You almost ran her over?" Steph said, turning on Chloe. "Did you see her crossing the street and try to get some revenge or something?"

"What? Fuck no." Chloe laughed. "She fell in front of my truck as I was leaving Blackwell."

"I was pushed." Max corrected her. "By Nathan." She added quietly.

"So yeah, I took her home to catch up and ended up keeping her." Chloe said quickly, getting past that part of the story.

"She hasn't let me go since." Max shrugged, squeezing Chloe's hand. "Did you know she tried to make me go skinny dipping?" She added.

Chloe laughed and shook her head. "That is a lie!"

"It isn't, she was making moves on me all week!" Max grinned happily. She seemed to be enjoying teasing Chloe. "Then finally dared me to kiss her."

"Wow Chloe, you move fast." Steph laughed, looking between the two of them. "You hadn't seen her in years, and then you're trying to get her into bed?"

"Whoa, hey now! I never tried getting her into bed!" She quickly argued, Max was laughing harder. "I'm blushing... aren't I?"

"Oh yeah... you're bright red." Steph continued laughing at Chloe's embarrassment.

"It's cute." Max said with a bright smile on her face.

Chloe smiled at Max, glad to see she was feeling better and more upbeat than during their trip over. Whatever she talked to Kate about had clearly helped her mood and having somebody new to talk to was clearly keeping her distracted from whatever else was on her mind.

"Chloe's always been the bashful one." Steph smirked, pulling Chloe away from her thoughts about Max. "She acts all tough, but really she's a softie."

"I know." Max stood up and walked around the table to sit beside Chloe, forcing Chloe and Steph to move up to accomodate the third person on their side.

"Are you giving a speech then?" Chloe asked, trying to move away from the topic of herself. She wrapped an arm around Max's waist to keep her close, appreciating the contact between them.

"No. Kate is going to read a poem and a passage from the bible, she's worked really hard on it and I'd like to hear what she's done." Max answered, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"You were really brave going up there to save Kate." Steph said, leaning forward to speak past Chloe to Max. "I've heard it mentioned a few times."

"I had to do something." Max said quietly.

"Well you did more than something Max. You saved a life, you protected somebody. Just like another girl I know." Steph grinned at Chloe, who quickly shook her head.

Chloe spotted Victoria slowly making her way towards them, an old fashioned clipboard in her hands with Courtney close on her heels.

"Hey Max, Chloe." Courtney said with a smile.

"Hey Courtney." Max returned the smile, Chloe merely nodded.

"The Vortex club is hosting a special event after the memorial. A party for all the former students to blow off some steam after a rough couple of weeks, and a way to boost morale before we all head home and plan for our futures." Victoria said proudly. "There won't be any alcohol..."

"Too many parents." Steph whispered in Chloe's ear, making her crack a smile.

"But it would be nice to see you both there." Victoria finished, ignoring the obvious quip. "It's as much for Rachel as everybody else." She added quickly.

"Where is it being held?" Max asked quietly.

"Here at Blackwell, of course. They're going to put up some tents and let us use the football field when the memorial is over. That way the parents can keep an eye on us and we can get back to our... sleeping quarters properly." Courtney answered politely, though she didn't seem to like the sleeping arrangements.

"Count us in. We'll... stick around for the night." Chloe said, looking at Max who nodded her agreement.

"Excellent!" Victoria was almost beaming at the news, making Chloe somewhat suspicious at the girl's change in attitude since she saw her last.

Victoria scribbled something down on her notepad and walked away with Courtney in tow, whispering something about preparations for the party. Chloe watched them for a while, walking between tables and talking to other former students.

"You're already going?" Max asked, grabbing Chloe's attention back to the two girls she was sat with.

"Yeah. I figured why not? I'm not leaving until after the memorial anyway, and it'd be nice to catch up with some people." Steph answered.

They stayed at Blackwell for a while, accepting the meal that was offered around lunch time to all of the people gathered on the campus. They saw Chloe's Mom and Kate handing out plates of food to some of the relief workers and even spotted David talking to a number of police officers who had stopped by for the meal. Steph was right when she'd said everybody was pulling together to help the town survive, two weeks after the worst event in its history. There was no sign of the Prescott's or their money, but people looked happy even if they were tired.

Chloe sat on the steps in front of the doors, trying to catch a moment to herself. Max had sat back down on a bench with Steph and Kate, who were all deep in conversation over their meals, what they were discussing she had no idea. It was during times like this she missed Rachel the most, to be pulled away from the crowd so they could talk and laugh, or be pulled into the crowd and become the centre of attention.

_No... it was never us. You were always the centre of attention. All eyes were on you._ She thought to herself as she saw Max waving her over.

It was only the middle of their first day back in Arcadia Bay, yet there was still so much going on. She smiled at Max and went back over, sitting beside her girlfriend and putting an arm across her shoulders to pull her into a firm kiss on the cheek. Max surprised her by turning her head at the last minute so they could kiss properly, in public, before all of the people they'd known at Blackwell. When they parted from their public display of affection Chloe could see Steph and Kate both smiling, while Victoria had stopped nearby with a small shocked expression on her face. Chloe was trying really hard not to laugh, instead admiring how confident Max had been to make the move in public, to make them official in front of everybody.


	6. Ghosts

After the stress and fear of returning to Arcadia Bay, Max was surprised at how easy it had been to talk to Kate once more. The sweet girl had tried so hard to get her to agree to say something at the memorial, but she couldn't say yes to it when she felt it was her fault so many had died. In the end Kate had given up and they had talked about how the girl was doing since she got out of hospital. With Jefferson arrested and the Dark Room uncovered her family had accepted Kate wasn't to blame for what happened to her, though Kate never told Max whether they had apologised for treating her so unfairly.

When they finished the lunch time meal she remained sat at the bench with Chloe and Steph, listening to their stories from their time at Blackwell, especially Chloe's rule breaking and activities with Rachel. Despite her meltdown the night before when she couldn't help but recall memories of the girl, it was strange to hear Chloe talking more openly about her best friend. The things they'd got up to, as well as Chloe appearing in a play.

 _I've missed so much of your life._ She thought, watching the blue haired girl talking animatedly with Steph.

Once more she started to feel a tingling sensation in her hand and tried to scratch it, but no matter what she did she couldn't get the feeling to go away. Placing her hand between her knees she tried to ignore it, instead trying to focus on the story being told.

"You okay?" Steph said, halting the story and looking at Max with some concern.

"Huh?" Max responded.

"You've gone pale." Steph continued. "Hasn't she?"

"Yeah." Chloe said, turning in her seat to look at Max a little better. "Do you... wanna head back?" She offered kindly.

"No... no I think I'll just... go to the bathroom." Max answered, carefully getting up from the bench.

"You can use the bathroom in the school, it's open." Steph said quickly as Max looked around.

"Okay... thanks." She smiled weakly, rubbing the palm of her left hand with her right thumb, trying to get the tingling to stop.

Walking up the steps into the school she looked over her shoulder to see Chloe watching her, concern etched onto her face. She tried to give her a comforting smile, but knew Chloe wouldn't believe her. The doors closed behind her as she stepped into the hallway once more, the Principal's office door was on her right and the bathroom where she had watched Chloe get shot not far away to her left. It was the one place she hoped to never visit again but it was the only option to her right now. Looking down the corridor towards her old photography class she saw boxes stacked against the lockers on the left side, supplies for the survivors of the storm. She was glad she didn't have to revisit that classroom, considering what her teacher had tried to do her, what he had done to Rachel Amber.

Entering the bathroom she felt a chill up her spine, the memories of that day rushing to the front of her mind. Every action she had taken to try to save Chloe, the decision she could have made to return to this bathroom and allow Chloe to die. She took a deep breath and pushed past it to the sink, where she turned the tap and splashed her face.

"I hope you checked the perimeter as my step-ass would say." Chloe said, making Max jump. She hadn't heard her come in.

"Chloe... what are you..." She started to say, when Chloe continued.

"Now let's talk bidness..."

"What...?"

"I got nothing for you..." Nathan said, startling Max.

"Wrong. You got hella cash."

She spun around, looking for Chloe and Nathan, a deep fear tearing at her heart.

_Am I back in the past? What the fuck?_

She looked around, neither of them were there but she could hear them again, that moment in time that she had corrected. Looking back to the mirror she could see the scene playing out beyond the glass, inverted just like it should be. She stumbled backwards into the stall door as the event continued and closed her eyes, she could hear their conversation and couldn't help herself from focusing on the memory. For a brief moment she opened her eyes and could see Chloe and Nathan almost like ghosts against the bathroom wall, the gun in his hand against Chloe's stomach.

"Get that gun away from me, psycho!" Max jumped as she watched the gun go off once more, tears started streaming down her face as she collapsed against the door, hoping she wasn't about to find herself in another timeline without the girl she had fallen so in love with.

"No!" She heard herself shout out.

Pulling her knees up to her chest she crossed her arms over them and cried into her sleeve, unaware of the bathroom door opening until she felt the sudden embrace of warm arms and her vision blurred by blue hair. Knowing who held her she leaned into the touch, crying at the memory of that day but also the knowledge that Chloe was still alive, still with her. Chloe didn't let her go, instead pressing her head to Max's trying to comfort her.

"I should have come with you." Chloe whispered, an apologetic tone to her voice.

"It's fine..." Max sniffed, wrapping her arms around Chloe and refusing to let her go.

"It's not. This shit hole is where it all began."

"And where it could have ended." Max said quietly, trying to hold onto Chloe a little tighter. "I will not let that be your fate." She added as Chloe kissed her head.

"It won't be, you've already made sure of that." Chloe said softly. "Let's go outside and get you some fresh air."

Max nodded slowly as Chloe helped her to her feet, putting her arm around her waist as they left the bathroom. She felt exhausted but put it down to the tears and the memory she'd been forced to relive, an event she wished she could forget. Chloe guided her out of Blackwell and back into the cool air outside where Steph immediately noticed Max's strange look and rushed over.

"Are you okay?" Steph asked, helping Chloe to lead Max to the bench.

"Just a flashback." Max said, sitting on the bench with Chloe and refusing to let go of her girlfriend, feeling almost as though Chloe was holding her to the timeline.

"I'll get you some water." Steph said kindly.

"Thank you." Max managed to mutter as Steph left them alone and disappeared into the crowds of former students and adults.

"What happened?" Chloe whispered softly, holding Max comfortingly.

"Can we talk about it later? I... can't face it again right now."

Chloe nodded and kissed the side of her forehead softly. "Whenever you're ready."

Taking deep breaths she tried to steady her nerves and remember it was just the past, but something about it felt different, especially seeing the ghostly images of the memory after it first appeared in the mirror. She grasped Chloe tightly, afraid she was going to disappear from her side at any minute, but it never happened. She remained in her girlfriend's embrace even when Steph returned with a plastic cup of water.

"Thanks." Max smiled weakly as she accepted the cup, taking a small sip of water.

"You sure you're okay?" Steph asked kindly, sitting beside Max.

"I'll be fine. Just... strange to be back." She answered quietly.

"I think I should take Max home." Chloe said, gently playing with Max's hair. "We were driving all day yesterday, she didn't get much sleep..."

"I may know why." Steph smirked cheekily. "I'll save you a seat tomorrow, you can sit with us if you'd like."

"That sounds good." Chloe smiled, once again helping Max to her feet.

Max didn't complain, she was just grateful Chloe had taken charge and was looking after her once more. "See you tomorrow Steph." She said with a weak smile.

Steph gave Chloe a one armed hug then looked at Max, shrugged, and gave her a hug too. "Feel better soon, okay?"

"Will do." Max said, waving over her shoulder as Chloe gently guided her away from the auburn haired girl.

They crossed the campus slowly, trying to be polite to people who waved to Max or Chloe, sometimes stopping to exchange a few words. Most people were glad to see they were both okay, especially after their hasty exit two weeks ago. Max made a number of polite excuses as Chloe tried to lead her away from Dana towards the truck. Joyce eventually caught up to them just as Max had opened the passenger door.

"Heading home already?" Joyce asked kindly. "I thought you'd both stay a little longer."

"Max isn't feeling well." Chloe said quickly, crossing her arms as Max climbed into the truck. "Figured we'd go home, let her try to sleep it off."

"I hope this isn't an excuse to..." Joyce started to say, glancing to Max who turned away, knowing she was probably blushing at the insinuation.

"God Mom, no!" Chloe quickly said, shaking her head. "I just want to get her home and make sure she's okay."

"Alright." Chloe's Mom smiled gently. "I've heard from your parents Max, they will be here before dinner. I hope you feel better by then."

"Thanks Joyce." Max said, closing the passenger door.

Chloe shook her head and walked around the truck, sharing a few more words with her Mom that Max wasn't paying attention to. She watched the scenery of Arcadia Bay pass by as Chloe took them back to her home, trying again not to think about that week. Chloe kept glancing at her with concern in her pretty blue eyes, to which Max tried to smile in a reassuring way.

When they got back to Chloe's home they quickly went inside and up to their bedroom, where Max quickly kicked off her shoes and threw off her jacket. She sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands as her exhaustion washed over her, taunting her to place her head on the pillow and fall asleep. Looking up she saw Chloe kicking off her own boots then dropping her jacket over the desk chair. She ran a hand through her blue hair and sat beside Max, looking at her with the same look of concern in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Max quickly said, looking away from Chloe.

"Oh no you don't." Chloe replied, placing a hand to Max's cheek and turning her head to face her. "There's nothing to be sorry about, so don't say it again." She said kindly, holding Max's face so she couldn't look away again. "What did you say to me this morning?"

Max smiled slowly, remembering her words exactly. "You need to feel, and be honest with me too."

"Exactly!" Chloe said with a smile on her face.

"But I pulled you away from your friends..." Max tried to argue.

"I could spend the next five years with just you in my life and I wouldn't complain." Chloe retorted quickly. "I would rather be with you, making sure you're okay, than with any one of them."

Max knew then that she'd already lost the debate, her girlfriend could talk her way through almost any argument and still have the energy to go another round. She almost laughed at the thought, instead smirking at the tenacious girl beside her. She leaned into her and welcomed the embrace of Chloe's arms, her head on the taller girl's shoulder.

"My hand was hurting, which is when Steph said I looked pale. When I went into the bathroom I splashed my face like that day and it was... that memory... of the day you were shot." She explained quietly. "Like... I was back there having to go through it again. I panicked, I thought I would have to relive it, that I'd have to save you once more." Chloe's hug tightened, making her feel a little safer. "I don't want to lose you Chloe."

"You won't." Chloe said confidently.

Max fiddled with the bullets hanging around Chloe's neck for a moment, thinking of the one time she had worn them when looking for a way to save her life. They had been an anchor to her dream, an outcome where Chloe was alive and safe. Only to be replaced by the inescapable decision to sacrifice Arcadia or watch her die. She turned her head and nuzzled into Chloe's neck, trying to escape the memory, to stop it from resurfacing.

"You said your hand hurt?" Chloe asked, drawing Max away from the storm and back to the bathroom.

"Yeah, like when we were in San Francisco. It can't be a coincidence that I see the exact event that first triggered my powers?"

"I don't know... maybe it's like I said and it's just power building up because you're not using it?" Chloe shrugged, nudging Max's cheek. "Try... using it?"

"No." She answered quickly, pulling away from their embrace. "I don't want to cause another storm just because I played around with it again."

"Okay... I understand." Chloe said, once again stroking Max's cheek. "Just don't go exploding on me because you didn't use it, okay?" She smirked playfully.

"I won't explode you dork."

"There's some science shit I should quote at you here, but I'd prefer to do this instead..." Chloe grinned.

"Do what?" Max asked, confused.

Her question was soon answered when Chloe's lips softly brushed against her own, losing her chain of thought about her powers and her other arguments for not using her powers. The touch reminded her instead of the yearning she'd been feeling on the return journey, the need to be closer to Chloe. She then realised that Chloe was helping to distract her from her spiraling thoughts, allowing her to lose herself in something better, more wonderful, so she'd stop worrying about things now outside of her control. It was exactly what she needed right then to escape her own darkness.

* * *

"Max! Chloe! The Caulfields are here!" Joyce shouted up the stairs, rousing Max from her nap in Chloe's comfortable bed.

Forcing her heavy eyes open she looked at the white shirt she had her head on and smiled as Chloe stroked the back of her hair. Rolling onto her back and off of her girlfriend she stretched, only to have Chloe wrap an arm across her waist and pull her firmly into a hug.

"How are you feeling?" Chloe whispered into her ear with a kiss to her earlobe.

"Hella better." Max replied, turning once more into Chloe's arms and kissing her on the lips.

For the second time that day the bedroom door opened, only it was Max's Dad in the doorway this time. "Where's my daugh..." Chloe quickly rolled away, her head in her hands as Max lay on her back with her hand on her mouth, trying not to laugh or blush at how awkward this was. "Good to see you're both happy." He said, remaining in the doorway with his arms folded.

"Hi Dad." Max said, sitting up in the bed to look at her Dad properly.

"So much for privacy." Chloe muttered quietly as she sat up beside Max. "Hi Mr Caulfield!" She said happily, causing Max to giggle at her sudden change of attitude.

"We bought take out, get your butts downstairs." Ryan said with a smirk, leaving the two girls alone in the bedroom once more.

"That was... to the point." Chloe said, looking at Max with a smile on her face.

"That's my Dad." Max grinned, quickly snatching another kiss from Chloe. "Come on, or he'll send Mom next."

They climbed off the bed and pulled on their shoes before going downstairs into the crowded living room. Joyce and Vanessa were in the kitchen, getting out plates and organising the take out for six people.

"Hi Max, hi Chloe! I love your hair!" Vanessa said as they passed by the kitchen door.

"Hi Mom."

"Hi Vanessa. Thank you!"

David and Ryan were sat at the dining table, discussing David's timely capture of Mark Jefferson along with the officers of the Arcadia Bay Police department. Max tried to slip past her dad to the couch but he grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her into a hug which she happily returned, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Chloe tried to slip by Max but was caught by the bear of a man and given a hug as well.

"Joyce told me you weren't feeling well." He said as he released Chloe from his grip.

"Nothing to worry about." Max said, sitting on the couch with Chloe who kept a distance from her because of David's watchful eyes.

"Mhm." Ryan said, scratching his beard thoughtfully. Max had seen him do it so often she knew he was winding up for something. "David's told me how you helped solve that girl's disappearence. Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"With the storm afterwards it kind of slipped our minds." Chloe answered for her.

"It was a brave thing to do, I'm proud of you both." Ryan said with a smile.

"So am I." Vanessa said, putting plates filled with food on the table between Ryan and David. "You should have called us though sweetie." She continued, sitting down between Max and Chloe to give Max a hug.

"I know Mom. I just needed some time to process." Max sighed, returning the hug.

"You both did really well." Joyce offered, putting plates on the coffee table in front of Max and Chloe. "Didn't they David?"

"Yes." David answered kindly. "You both did an excellent job."

Vanessa got off the couch, allowing Max and Chloe to slide a little closer together once more. Chloe made a gun gesture to her head at David's compliment, causing Max to snigger at her.

"Before we eat, I think there's something these two should tell us." Joyce said with a smile as she sat at the dining table along with Vanessa. "Considering what I walked in on earlier."

"Oh I don't think we need to put them on the spot Joyce." Ryan smiled, winking at Max. "Let them say it in their own time."

"Well if we're going to keep walking in on them, it would probably be nice to have some warning." Joyce continued, though not unkindly, she had a smile on her face at least.

"I'll handle it." Chloe whispered, gently kissing Max's cheek before she stood up. "So... yeah... uhm... when we were in LA, Max and I... started dating." She said, smiling brightly at the four adults at the table.

Ryan and Joyce were both smiling happily at the announcement, Vanessa looked a little confused at first but she was soon smiling as well. David looked dumbstruck, merely shrugging his shoulders.

"Figured you liked girls anyway." David mumbled off hand.

"We're happy for you both." Vanessa said, ignoring David's remark.

"Now that there's no more secrets, let's eat." Ryan smirked at Max. "It's been a long drive and I think we're all pretty hungry."

Her Dad's comment forced Max to look at her left hand, knowing there was another secret in the room that only the girl who sat back down beside her knew. She felt Chloe's hand on hers and looked up into Chloe's pretty face that was wearing a smile that Max loved to see. She returned the smile and squeezed her hand, grateful that she was still by her side after everything they had been through.

While their parents talked about the storm, the state news, the coming memorial and Arcadia Bay's restoration efforts, Chloe and Max remained in their own little world trying to make their own plans for where they wanted to go next. Max was growing accustomed to the idea of visiting the east coast and getting as far away from Arcadia Bay as possible. Chloe teased her about going to Miami beach and wearing a bikini, which Max was adamant she wouldn't do, not even if her girlfriend paid her with diamonds.

"So..." Ryan said as people finally finished their meals. "You two want to keep traveling?" He asked, clasping his hands on the table and looking at Max and Chloe.

"It would give me a chance to build a portfolio, for my photography." Max said quickly, thinking of trying to get back to the career she'd wanted.

"What about Blackwell? They plan to reopen when Arcadia Bay is back on its feet. Would you reapply?"

"I'd... rather not." She answered quietly. "Too many bad memories."

"Is there somewhere else you'd like to go instead?" Her Mom asked.

"Right now, I'm not too sure. I'd... like a year off, to explore the world, spend some time with Chloe." Max said honestly, lacing her fingers with Chloe's as they held hands. "We have five years to catch up on."

Ryan let out a small laugh and gave a nod. "Okay. We'll talk with Joyce and David, see what we can arrange for the two of you to go off exploring." Both Max and Chloe smiled happily at the news. "But... I want you to pick a photography course and apply for it before next September. Wherever it may be, you will go, you will get your education."

"Deal!" Max said eagerly.

"Chloe is old enough to make her own decisions, but if she wants to go with you, I won't stop her." Joyce added. "But Chloe, when Max goes back to school you'll need to get a job to support your new girlfriend."

"I will Mom. I plan to make sure she has the best." Chloe said quickly.

"That is what I wanted to hear." Ryan said with a nod. "The sooner you can support yourselves the better, but we know how difficult it can be to find your feet."

"It's why I joined the army." David offered, "It gave me a start in life."

Ryan nodded appreciatively. "Truer words never spoken. I'm sure we can all help to set you up, but you have to stand on your own feet. Sure you can manage that?"

"Yes Dad." Max said.

"Yes Mr Caulfield." Chloe nodded, her arm finding its way around Max's waist making her smile. "I'll take care of her."

"That's a worrying thought." Joyce laughed, watching her daughter closely.

"Well... I will definitely look after Max." Chloe said, looking into Max's eyes. "I won't let her down."

"Then it's settled." Ryan said, winking at his wife. "When do you two plan to leave Arcadia?"

"After the memorial." Max quickly answered. "We'd like to get back on the road."

"Do you intend to come back to Seattle with us first?" Her Mom asked.

"We wanted to go back south." Max looked to Chloe who nodded, obviously trying not to get involved in the discussion between Max and her parents.

"It would be nice if you came home for Christmas at least." Vanessa said. "David and Joyce could visit too, so you didn't have to come back to Arcadia."

"Could we... talk about that closer to Christmas?" Max said, not wanting to think about it just yet.

"As long as you don't leave your phone off this time." Her Dad said. "But okay."

Feeling the conversation had run its course, Max and Chloe made their excuses to go back upstairs now that they'd finished eating and their parents were on board with their trip away from Arcadia Bay after the memorial. It was like a great weight had been lifted from Max's shoulders, they wouldn't have to stay for much longer, there was an end in sight to their time here once more. Entering Chloe's bedroom once more her cheerful girlfriend clicked on the lights and the stereo then started looking for a CD to put in it, throwing an old one aside and onto the chair. Curiosity got the better of Max and she picked up the CD, noticing the scratches on the label side. She frowned at the label, in bold letters it read ' _Rachel's tunes.'_ She dropped it back onto the chair just as the music started playing.

"You okay?" Chloe asked, kicking off her boots and sitting on her bed with her back against the wall.

"I'm... great." Max answered with a smile.

"Could you pass my cigarettes? They're in my jacket."

"Sure." She said, checking Chloe's jacket and finding the cigarette packet and her lighter.

Leaning over she tried to hand the items over when Chloe surprised her by pulling her onto the bed beside her playfully, holding Max against her side as she took the packet and light from her. Max watched as she pulled out a cigarette with her lips and dropped the packet on the floor before lighting it. The lighter followed the packet, and Chloe placed the ashtray beside her on the bed, all without removing Max from her grip. She felt the rise of Chloe's chest as she inhaled, held it for a moment then exhaled slowly.

"Looking forward to leaving?" Chloe asked, holding the cigarette away from Max respectfully.

"And new places." Max answered, getting comfy against her girlfriend. "New sights, loads of pictures..." She gently ran her finger up Chloe's leg. "And a life with you." She added quietly at the end.

Chloe smiled as she exhaled again. "Sounds hella awesome to me."

"We just have to get through tomorrow." Max said, teasing Chloe's vest top up to place her hand on her bare stomach.

They remained on the bed together as Chloe enjoyed her cigarette, they had nothing else to do with nowhere to be, just trying to appreciate the time they had together after the storm.

"So why did you put music on if we're talking?" Max asked curiously.

With a smirk Chloe put out the stub of her cigarette and put the ashtray back on the floor beside her bed. "Wait here." She said.

Max rolled aside to allow Chloe to get up, her brow furrowed as she wondered what the girl was up to as she slid off the bed. Chloe turned and pulled off Max's shoes and dropped them by the chair before she carefully moved it so it blocked the door.

"I don't want us to be disturbed again." Chloe explained as she turned back to Max, a mischievous look in her blue eyes. "I want some time with you." She said with a shrug, kneeling on the edge of the bed.

"Is this what normal couples are like?" Max asked, watching her girlfriend slowly crawling up the bed towards her. "Always making out?"

"Teenage couples? Oh yeah." Chloe smirked, her legs either side of Max's as she knelt over Max's lap. "Would you rather be an adult couple? Paying bills, yelling at each other?" She teased, taking hold of both of Max's hands.

"Oh fuck no." Max laughed.

"We can if you want... I could roll over now, get a book and start reading..."

"Shut up!"

Chloe laughed with her and shook her head. "You're going to have to make me."

Accepting the challenge she pulled Chloe closer to her so their lips almost met, a breath apart as their noses touched. Max bit her bottom lip, her eyes darting from Chloe's eyes to her lips. Chloe flicked her tongue against Max's upper lip, teasing her playfully but enticing Max to return the gesture so their tongues touched. She released Chloe's hands and placed her own on the girl's hips, allowing Chloe to run her fingers up the sides of Max's head into her hair as they teased one another, not yet commiting to what they both wanted.

"You're a tease." Chloe breathed, gently pulling Max's hair.

"Says you." Max retorted, slipping her hands down to Chloe's ass.

Chloe took the opportunity to bite Max's bottom lip and that was all it took for them to start kissing passionately, tasting each other's lips. Max could taste the ashy leftovers from Chloe's recent cigarette and tried not to think about it, prefering to get lost in the moment of their passion instead, but Chloe noticed the slight hesitation and reluctantly pulled away, a knowing look in her blue eyes.

"Sorry." She whispered quietly. "Slipped my mind."

"It's fine." Max replied, running a hand up Chloe's side under her vest top, trying to show her she was still interested in doing more than sleeping.

"Let me go and brush my teeth, I'm not going to force you to endure it." Chloe smiled, gently stroking Max's jawline as she climbed off her.

"Be quick." She ordered, planting one more kiss on Chloe's lips before she got too far away.

Chloe pushed the chair aside with her foot and opened the bedroom door, leaving Max alone for a short time. She stretched her back and shoulders, followed closely by her neck, trying to loosen up a little bit. Drumming a beat on her stomach in time to the music she waited for her girlfriend to return, wondering just how far Chloe was willing to go with their parents downstairs.

Leaning forward she removed the shirt she wore over her t-shirt and tossed it towards their bags that had both been moved to beside the CSI Arcadia board, which still blocked access to the wardobe. If they were staying any longer they'd have been forced to take it back downstairs and free up some much needed space, but considering they would be leaving in a couple of days there was no need. Their bags were still packed, they'd just have to recover any laundry Joyce had been kind enough to wash for them.

She wondered how much longer Chloe was going to be when the girl stepped back into the bedroom and moved the chair back to its place in front of the door, hopefully to give them forewarning in case of any rude parents. Max expected them to pick up from where they were when Chloe surprised her by removing her vest top as she walked back over to the bed before straddling Max and kissing her softly. The taste of ash was gone, replaced by the minty taste of toothpaste.

Max ran her hands tenderly up Choe's back, enjoying the touch of the girl's skin beneath her fingetips.

"Don't do that." Chloe growled softly.

"I'm sorry... you don't like it?"

"It's not that, I fucking love it." Chloe smirked, her eyes shut tight. "But it really turns me on when I'm in the mood."

"What? This?" Max grinned, running her index finger up Chloe's spine making her girlfriend inhale through her teeth as she enjoyed the sensation.

"Yes, that, you bitch." Chloe growled again, biting Max's bottom lip.

"This could be fun..." Max smirked, a plan formulating in her mind.

"Not while our parents are downstairs." Chloe whispered sadly. "When we go that far... I want you to be able to let go."

"Let go?" Max asked, not quite catching on at first. Then she realised what Chloe meant. "Oh!"

"Yeah, that." Chloe grinned happily. "Especially if it's your first time." She added nuzzling Max's nose sweetly.

"Which it will be." Max confirmed, placing her hands on Chloe's hips. "How does that make you feel?"

"Special." Chloe answered quickly, placing her hands on Max's face. "Really fucking special."

"Why?"

"Max... I'd be your first, and that... means something to me. As silly as that sounds." Chloe said, brushing a lock of Max's hair behind her ear.

"It's not silly to me." She smiled, releasing Chloe's hips to play with her blue hair. "I'd be a dork and say you were worth the wait but..."

"That would be a big fat lie!" Chloe laughed happily. "You didn't know you were waiting for me."


	7. In Memoriam

Getting ready on the morning of the memorial was a struggle with six people all trying to get time in the bathroom. Chloe decided to skip the shower when it was her turn, she could freshen up properly before the Vortex party later. Max appeared to have had the same idea when she returned from her own time in the bathroom fairly quickly. They dressed in black, as was the custom for a memorial, even if it was also a celebration for the survivors. She kept some of her punk spirit alive in her choice of vest top, a white angel crying on the front of the vest with white wings on the back. It was the closest she could get to Rachel, and Max appeared to approve of her choice. Her girlfriend found her black t-shirt with the blue butterflies on the shoulders out of the clean laundry Joyce left with them, once again covering up the pattern with a plain black button up shirt. When they were both fully dressed with their shoes on, Chloe stopped Max from leaving the bedroom by gently pulling on the back of her belt, turning her around into her arms.

"You okay?" Chloe asked, keeping an arm around Max's waist. "You've been quiet all morning."

"Yeah." Max answered, placing her hands to Chloe's shoulders. "I just want today to be over, so we can leave."

"Shame you can only go backwards in time and not forwards." She teased, playing with the blue highlight in Max's hair. Max was clearly trying not to laugh, even if it was the mention of her unwanted powers.

"That would be great, to skip past the day and just leave..."

"But then you'd miss out on the party." She grinned, kissing Max's forehead sweetly. "And Victoria trying to give you a crown."

"Oh stop it." Max laughed, pulling away from Chloe but taking her hand.

"Oh Max, please wear this crown..." She continued teasing as Max pulled her from their bedroom and down the stairs.

"Chloe... shut up." Max said at the top of the stairs, turning to face her.

"Gonna have to make me." Chloe bit her bottom lip, wondering if she'd gone a little too far with the teasing. Max smirked and kissed her sweetly, alleviating her worry.

"Put her down Max." Ryan said from the bottom of the stairs, surprising them both. "Otherwise we're going to be late."

"Can't catch a fucking break." Chloe whispered, following Max down the stairs to their waiting parents.

"Would you like to ride with us?" Vanessa asked as the six of them left the house.

"We'll take Chloe's truck." Max said, holding Chloe's hand for a moment.

"Yeah, just in case we want to make a quick getaway." Chloe shrugged, leading the way to her truck.

"We'll accept the offer though." Joyce said as David locked the front door. "It's nice to catch up."

"You're more than welcome!" Ryan grinned, opening the door for Joyce.

Chloe grinned and had a playful idea, going around the truck to open the passenger door for Max with a flourish. "Your ride, m'lday." She sniggered.

"You're in a really good mood today." Max said, kissing her cheek as she climbed into the truck.

Chloe closed the door and rushed around her truck to climb in on the driver side before answering. "We had an awesome night, and I'm looking forward to leaving tomorrow."

"Me too." Max smiled, sliding across the seat to lean against Chloe.

When their parent's car had moved out of the way Chloe reversed the truck out onto the street once more and followed the car towards Blackwell. Joyce and Vanessa kept waving out the back window at them like kids, making Max laugh at their foolishness. It reminded Chloe of the trips they would go on with their parents, when they would pick to be in the lead car so they could wave at whoever's parents were behind them. She figured their Mothers' were finally getting their revenge.

Parking at Blackwell was just as difficult as the previous day, it seemed there were more vehicles than the planners had ever bargained for. Chloe grumbled as she had to park a little way down the road from the football field where they could see people already seated near to a stage. It looked like Blackwell's drama studio had been raided for everything the organisers could use.

They walked the rest of the way until they found Steph talking with Mikey and Drew near the entrance to the field.

"Look who it is." Drew said, putting out a hand to shake Chloe's politely.

"Hey Drew, how's the knee?" Chloe asked, accepting the proffered hand without letting go of Max.

"Ah you know." He shrugged.

"Hey Chloe." Mikey said with a smile. "Still causing trouble?"

"You know it." Chloe replied, then grinned. "Somebody has to smite the bad guys!"

"Right."

"How are you feeling today Max?" Steph asked, giving them both a small hug.

"Better, thank you. I think it was... just so much at once." Max said with a small shrug.

"I saved you both a couple of seats. Are your parents with you?"

"They're around somewhere." Chloe laughed, looking into the crowd of people but unable to spot them.

"I was only able to save seats for the two of you." Steph said, sounding apologetic. "If you'd rather stand with your parents..."

"No... seats sounds good. Were you helping to organise it or something?" Chloe asked as Steph led them all onto the field.

"Kind of, yeah. Good organisational skills, a little bossy... I offered to help." She explained.

"As always, Steph bossing people around." Drew said with a grin. "She's still good at it though."

"As long as she isn't killing peoples characters." Mikey laughed, making Chloe smirk at the memory.

"Two seats, end row." Steph said, indicating the two seats for Max and Chloe only a row from the stage. "This way if you want to make an escape, you can." She winked. "Come on you two, I can't have you following me around all morning." She said, talking to the two brothers and leading them away from Max and Chloe.

"See you later!" Chloe called out, getting a brief wave from the three of them.

"So... those were your friends." Max said, squeezing Chloe's hand to get her attention.

"They were... sort of... kinda. They weren't Rachel."

"Nobody is Rachel." Max replied quietly, sitting in one of the seats.

Chloe sat beside Max and kissed the side of her head affectionately. "But you're the Legendary Max Caulfield. Photographer, pirate, love of my life." She said.

"Suck up." Max laughed, taking hold of Chloe's hand once more.

They sat and waited for the memorial to begin, talking quietly between themselves about the places they wanted to see. Despite her best efforts she couldn't help but think of LA and Rachel, a dream they may have completed for her but that her best friend never got to realise for herself. They'd been so close and it had been snatched away from them. She took a deep breath and lost herself in Max's presence, grateful for the girl who once again sat beside her in life, just like when they were kids.

A well dressed woman stepped onto the stage and the crowd went quiet, watching the woman walk over to the podium at the front, a little pocket book in her hands. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to start by thanking you all for your efforts over these last two weeks. You have been doing a remarkable job of helping Arcadia Bay get back on its feet, and for that, I thank you." A short applause followed these words, but the woman was too busy wiping a tear from her eyes. "Today's Memorial will start with a few words from a few members of the public, who were here at the time of the disaster..."

Chloe took a deep breath and settled in for the long haul, to listen to everybody give their thanks, or appreciation for the efforts people put in. It was already making her sick to think that three weeks ago she had been in the worst place in her life and none of these great people had stepped up to help her. What made it worse was when David was pulled on stage alongside the police officers who had helped in the aftermath of the destruction, saved because they'd been at the Prescott Bunker throughout the event. Max was paying a little more interest, but there were times she squeezed Chloe's hand, a small gesture to show she was thinking about her.

When Kate was introduced on stage Chloe tried to show a little more interest, especially as she knew it was going to be something to do with Max.

"A couple of weeks ago a terrible thing happened, so many lives were lost." Kate said, reading from a piece of paper she'd brought with her. "But while we remember the lost, we must also remember the living. The people who put themselves in harms way to save a life, the people who ask for nothing in return. I want to thank everybody who has come together to look after one another, but especially one person who saved me from making a terrible decision. Out of all of the heroes sat here today I want to acknowledge a person who refuses to take credit for her actions, who pulled me back from the edge. I would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart for being there when I needed somebody most. Max Caulfield, you are a hero, and I hope you remember that!" Kate said with a smile, looking right at Max who was blushing and trying to look away as the people around them gave a round of applause, some even patting Max on the back.

Chloe hugged Max tightly and whispered in her ear. "Told you so."

"Shut up." Max mumbled into her jacket.

* * *

When the Memorial was over their parents left to get changed at Chloe's, leaving them to hang around Blackwell for a while, sitting on one of the benches on the main campus. The stage was already being removed and tents put up for the Vortex party, the last bash before everybody went home to better lives. The last night they would have to spend in Arcadia before leaving once more. For the first time in two days they were left alone in each other's company, making small personal gestures as the minutes slipped away from them, lost in their own small world.

"Hello Chloe." A man said, causing her to look up into the face of James Amber.

"Oh... you." She said with a sigh. Ever since she'd told Rachel the truth about him he'd never forgiven Chloe, not like she cared what he thought of her.

"Can I sit down?" He asked politely.

"Free country, for now." Chloe mumbled, receiving a quizzical glance from Max. "Max, this is Mr Amber. Rachel's dad."

"James." He said, sitting down opposite Chloe and holding his hand out for Max to shake. Max cautiously shook his hand, though Chloe wished she'd warned her not to. They had no idea what shit he'd been slinging this time.

"What do you want?" She demanded, no longer in the happier mood she'd been enjoying all morning.

"I was told by Mr Madsen that it was the two of you who discovered the body." James answered.

Chloe took a deep breath as she prepared to shout at him for not even using her name. "Rachel's body." She corrected him, squeezing Max's hand tightly.

"Of course." James nodded sadly. "She... really cared about you Chloe, we found a lot of things from your time together in her room. Would you like to come over, take what you'd like to remember her?"

"Tomorrow." Chloe answered, surprised at herself for how quickly she answered. "Before we leave." She explained, turning to Max.

"That's fine." James nodded. "Chloe... I'm so..."

"Don't." She said quickly. "I looked for her for six months and you fucking gave up. I was the only person who really cared about her."

"I know. I shouldn't have." He admitted quietly.

"You're right. You shouldn't." Chloe said, standing up. "Come on Max, let's go home and get ready for tonight."

Max didn't take any persuading, keeping a firm hold on Chloe's hand as they walked away from Rachel's dad.

"So much for a little peace and quiet." Chloe muttered as they walked down the street towards her truck.

"I don't think he was trying to upset you." Max said quietly. "He did lose his daughter."

"And I lost my best friend." She retorted as they reached the truck.

"But you didn't give up on finding her. You can be proud of that." Max argued, taking hold of Chloe's other hand as they faced each other. "But he gave up, and he has to live with it."

"You really know how to try to calm me down, don't you?" Chloe sighed, looking into Max's blue eyes. She found it difficult to argue with her when she knew Max was right.

"I hope so." Max smiled. "I am supposed to be some kind of hero." She said, releasing Chloe's hands and opening the passenger door.

"My hero." Chloe grinned, closing the door for Max and walking around the truck to get in.

They returned to Chloe's home and quickly went upstairs, away from their parents before they got sucked into another long conversation they really didn't want. Chloe put on some music like the night before but didn't barricade the door with her chair, they were going to be back and forth from the bathroom and she didn't want to accidentally shut Max out in just a towel, as funny as that might be. Chloe used the bathroom first, but it wasn't just a quick shower and back to Max kind of shower. She had a feeling she knew what Max really wanted after their conversation last night and she wanted to be at her best, even if it meant taking a bit more time to ready herself.

Unlike the one time she'd been with Rachel, she had to admit to herself she was really nervous about Max's first time. She knew how much the other girl wanted to progress their relationship, but she was a little afraid of ruining Max's first ever sexual experience. She could hardly remember how own first time, some guy she'd dated for a couple of weeks that she'd used to try to forget the pain she was feeling.

_I can't even remember your name._ She thought as the water cascaded down her back. _So much for a good fucking experience._

She returned to her bedroom some time later, feeling she was at an acceptable standard for her girlfriend. Max was sat on the bed with a number of her polaroids around her, flicking them over and writing something on the back of each one. Chloe sat down beside her in her towel and watched her in action, noticing she was dating them.

"Our parents have gone out." Max said, flicking another photo and writing on the back. "Something about checking out the Vortex party."

"Are parents even invited?" She asked, picking up a picture of Max at Vista Point. "I like this one."

"Keep it." Max grinned. "And I did ask, but Dad said all the parents had been plotting to gatecrash anyway."

Chloe laughed and nodded. "Sounds about right, people want to enjoy themselves."

Max started piling her photos together and dropped the stack in her bag on the floor. "Which means I need to get a shower now too." She said, turning to kiss Chloe sweetly. "Don't smoke too many cigarettes while I'm gone, or you'll have to brush your teeth again."

"Yes boss." She smirked, watching as Max left the bedroom with her toiletries in hand as well as a towel.

With nothing to do Chloe moved up the bed and lay her head on the pillow, thinking back to James Amber's invitation to Rachel's old home the following day. She leaned over to grab her ashtray then thought better of it, instead trying not to think about Rachel. It was difficult when the girl had been mentioned at the Memorial, and then again by her Dad afterwards. She was constantly on Chloe's mind, even though she'd hoped the trip to LA would rid her of the constant memories. It was almost like the yearning she had felt to speak to Max again throughout their five years about, though not quite as powerful. She wasn't writing in a diary spilling out all her thoughts and feelings, neither was she rolling over in the morning to a picture of Rachel and saying good morning to it, but she did miss her even if she had been lying to her.

Not knowing how long Max was going to be she got off the bed and started looking through her clothes, trying to decide on what to wear to the Vortex party. She'd never bothered with them in the past, even when Rachel had invited her to go along and have a good time, instead going to a seedy bar and faking her way inside. In the end she settled on an inverted print of her memorial vest top, plain white with a crying black angel. In a strange artsy kind of way she thought it mirrored the days events, black for the memorial and then white for a party.

_Bullshit. You just don't want to go through the trouble of picking something else._ She laughed to herself, throwing the shirt on the bed along with some blue jeans and underwear.

Sitting on the edge of her bed she had just finished drying her hair when Max returned from the shower, drying her own hair in the doorway. With a small smile Max kicked the door closed behind her and approached Chloe, throwing the towel down on the bed beside her.

"So... do you really want to go to the party?" Max asked, standing in front of Chloe with a strange look in her eyes.

"Would you rather stay here and chill out?"

"Well..." Max appeared nervous for a moment, playing with her hair as she took a moment to decide what to say.

Chloe thought she may know what Max really wanted and took hold of her hands, almost pulling her ontop of her. "Would it help if I dared you again?" She asked playfully.

Max smirked but shook her head and gently pulled Chloe to stand up in front of her. She released Chloe's hands and gently ran her fingers over Chloe's arms, especially over her tattoo, tracing the pattern down to where it ended at her wrist. Tentatively Max placed a hand on the top of Chloe's towel but stopped, looking into Chloe's eyes as if asking permission. It was such a cute and innocent look, it melted Chloe's heart to think the girl before her had never been with anybody like this. She gave a nod of her head and Max smiled, pulling the towel free and allowing it to crumple to the floor at Chloe's feet.

Chloe was completely exposed to her girlfriend, naked yet unashamed as Max looked down at her body, a small bite on her bottom lip. Max took a small step back, at first worrying Chloe, until she realised what she was doing. Max pulled her own towel free and allowed it to fall away, exposing herself to Chloe in the same way. She was more shy as she held her arms close to her sweet body.

"I... uh... figured..." Max stuttered, Chloe could tell her nerves were overwhelming her and tried to help her past them. Taking hold of the smaller girl by the hips she pulled her closer until their bare skin touched and she could place a loving kiss on her lips, silencing the stutters and mumbles.

From the foot of the bed they ended up lying together on it. Placing tender kisses on each other as Chloe's soft fingers explored Max's body, starting with her breasts slowly down to her stomach where Chloe noticed the girl tense up slightly. They broke their kiss as Max lay on her back, Chloe watched her expressions change as she moved her hand between Max's legs, which she parted a little more to welcome Chloe's hand. Max bit her bottom lip and let out a sigh, turning her head to look at Chloe.

With Chloe lying on her side and Max on her back, it was the perfect position for Chloe to admire the smaller girl's body as she lovingly pleasured her girlfriend. Max closed her eyes and would let out soft moans as Chloe used her experienced fingers to give the best stimulation for her, trying to give her the best first experience. Max let out a soft groan, placed a hand on the back of Chloe's head and pulled her into a deep passionate kiss, refusing to let her go even as she let out gasps and moans into Chloe's mouth.

"Oh... fuck..." Max murmured, biting Chloe's lip gently. "Fuck... fuck... fuck..." She said over and over. Her back arched slightly, her grip on Chloe tightened and she let out a loud moan.

Max lay still for a while, her breathing quick and shallow. Her grip on Chloe loosened, giving her a moment to place kisses across Max's stomach, over her pert breasts and up her neck to her mouth where Max returned the affectionate touch of their lips with a smile. It was a short lived break as Max pushed Chloe onto her back, reversing their positions as Max lay on her side against Chloe. Her touch was gentle and hesitant, but Chloe gave her the time she needed to gain her certainty, something she found very quickly despite her inexperience. She closed her eyes as she felt Max's teeth tease her nipple just as the girl slipped a finger inside her, causing a moan to escape her bitten lips.

"Up... slightly..." She instructed, then gasped. "Right... fucking... there."

Their first time together was a memory Chloe was going to keep, through all the shit they may face together in the future, or the past, or wherever Max and her gifts took them. She would cherish it, keep it safe, and never let go of the person who brought so much happiness and hope back into her life.

* * *

They made it to the party two hours later than they had intended, but Max was positively glowing after her new experience with Chloe. She seemed like an almost different person, a little more outgoing and confident than she had been earlier in the day. It was certainly a side of her Chloe loved to see shine, especially how Max kept glancing at her when she was talking to Kate or Dana, a twinkle in her pretty blue eyes that could set Chloe's pulse racing.

"You're swaggering." Steph remarked as Chloe walked over to join her at a table in one of the many walk in tents dotted across the field.

"I don't swagger." Chloe refuted, sitting at the table with a glass of water in her hands.

"You swagger. I know you swagger." Steph laughed as Chloe glanced over to Max. "Oh... I think I know why." Chloe quickly looked back to Steph who had a knowing look in her eye. "She appears more confident too."

"She brings out the best in me, what can I say?" Chloe shrugged, trying not to blush.

"You deserve it Chloe." Steph smiled kindly.

The night turned into one big blur, greeting people she knew as they walked past, trading a joke with others. Most of the time she watched Max talking to the people she'd known during her short time at Blackwell, people she probably wouldn't see again once they left Arcadia in the morning. A part of her wanted to run up to Max and keep her all to herself, to get as much time with the girl as possible, but she knew she had the rest of her life with her.

_You thought that about Rachel. You both thought you had all the time in the world, the future ahead of you. Look where she is now. All the things you could have said, should have said, and she's gone. Don't waste time just because you think you have so much of it._

"Going to steal my girlfriend back." She winked to Steph, giving the girl a small hug. "It was nice seeing you again."

"You too. Will we see you at Blackwell tomorrow?" Steph asked before Chloe could get away.

"'Fraid not. We're leaving in the morning." Chloe answered, looking at Max just as she looked at Chloe, a grin on both their faces.

"Go on..." Steph laughed cheerfully. "But keep in touch, okay?"

"Yep!" Chloe said, rushing over to Max and dodging some of the people who almost got in her way.

"Everything okay?" Max asked as Chloe's hand slipped into hers, lacing their fingers together.

"I'd... like to steal you." Chloe smirked. "Do you mind Kate? Only we don't have much time before we're back on the road..."

"Go ahead." Kate smiled politely before giving Max a small hug. "Keep in touch, okay?"

"I will!" Max said as Chloe started to pull her away.

They managed to reach the truck before Chloe pinned the smaller girl to the door and kissed her passionately, which Max soon broke with a large smile on her face.

"What's got into you?" Max asked, grinning at Chloe.

"You really want to know?" Chloe said, holding Max's hands and thinking how best to word it if she said yes.

"Yeah, I want to know."

"A few years ago... Rachel and I thought we had all the time in the world, that things could wait." She said, noticing a sadness in Max's eyes at the mention of Rachel. "And they couldn't, she's gone and now... I can't tell her any of those things."

"Okay?" Max said curiously.

"With you... we keep saying we have all the time, and I know we do if you use your gift but... I don't want to waste that time, I don't want things to go unsaid, or undone, between us." She explained as carefully as she could. "I want to make the most of every single minute with you, I don't want to take any of it for granted."

"So what... exactly are you saying?" Max asked, placing her hands on Chloe's cheeks.

"I want to take you home... and rock your fucking world." She smirked, hoping she hadn't been too blunt.

"You know..." Max whispered, looking past Chloe at the party going on behind her. "I think I'd prefer that."

"Cereal?" Chloe grinned, deciding to use Max's word for fun.

"Totally cereal." Max laughed, pushing Chloe away from her so she could get back into the truck.

Although they only spent an hour at the party, Chloe didn't care. The only thing she really cared about right then was spending time with Max. They got home and almost fell over each other going up the stairs, eager to get back to Chloe's bedroom before their parents came back. Max was the one to move the chair this time as Chloe kicked off her boots, then threw her jacket onto the chair as Max approached her, already removing her shirt.

"Max..." Chloe whispered as she pressed her forehead to the smaller girl's. "I love you."

"I love you too Chloe." Max replied, her hand going to Chloe's cheek.

Late in the night Chloe woke up, startled by the sudden thrashing of her girlfriend beside her. Max was tossing and turning, mumbling in her sleep and had hit Chloe as she rolled over. Chloe tried waking her, saying her name softly but unable to rouse the girl from her nightmare. So she did the only other thing she could think of and wrapped Max in her arms from behind, holding the girl safe as she struggled through whatever was troubling her dreams. Max kept mumbling, allowing Chloe to catch some of the words she was saying.

"No... get... her... fuck... must... no... fuck!" Over and over Max kept talking in her sleep.

She tried waking Max again, shaking her sharply to try to stop her nightmares from tormenting her after such a wonderful night together. Clasping Max's left hand with her own she noticed it felt hotter than the rest of her naked body that she had pressed her own against.

"NO!" Max shouted, her left hand stretching out before her. She panicked that Max was about to rewind time, that she'd not remember the night's events.

Instead she felt a sudden surge of pain in her left hand, but refused to let her girlfriend go, refused to break their connection as the girl she loved struggled. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing the pain would stop and Max would wake up and tell her what was going on. She could feel the mind numbing pain stretching up to her wrist and finally tried to release her hand, only she couldn't move it. It felt like a vice grip was holding her in place, forcing her to endure the agony as Max endured her nightmare.


	8. Critical Mistakes

Max was lying on her side in bed when her eyes snapped open as she felt the power in her hand activate, freezing time in its moment without an ounce of her energy being lost. She could see the history of the room overlayed before her. The light from the street lamps cast a glow around the room, allowing her to almost witness Chloe's beautiful body standing before the mirror as she tried on clothes, then another memory of the girl falling down in tears as she looked at a photo of her father. She could even see Rachel pulling on her shirt and turning towards the bed with a wide smile upon her face. Then she saw a memory of herself and Chloe and couldn't help but focus upon it. It comforted her chaotic mind, silencing the other memories she couldn't completely take in with so much going on around her.

"I dare you to kiss me." Chloe said.

"What?" Max responded.

"I double dare you. Kiss me now." Chloe said. Max thought about it for a moment then stepped onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Chloe's lips, who stepped back in shock. "Damn, you're hardcore, Max! Now I can text Warren and tell him he doesn't stand a chance... unless he's into girl-on-girl action."

"You are such a dork." Max said with a small laugh as Chloe walked back towards the bed.

She finally felt Chloe's hand upon her own and rolled carefully onto her back, unable to release her hand. But the girl moved with her, her blue eyes brighter than normal as the memories played across their surface. Max was surprised to see a smile on Chloe's face, she should have been frozen with everything else but she was breathing and smiling.

"Max..." She whispered, a tear in her eye. "What have you done...?"

"I don't know..." Max replied, wiping away Chloe's tear with her free hand. "But you're with me."

"I told you... I'm never leaving you." Chloe smiled happily.

"You're right... you're even following me through time now." She laughed as Chloe wiped a tear from Max's eye.

"Looks like it." Chloe grinned, looking past Max at another memory.

Max looked around the dozens of Chloe's, Rachel's and Max's moving around the room, interweaved with the occasional Joyce collecting Chloe's washing. It was a chaotic mosaic of the room's history laid out around them. She couldn't make sense of most of it unless she truly focused hard upon the event, but she was content for a time to lie with Chloe.

"How are you..." Chloe started to say.

"Don't even ask, I have no idea." Max answered, already expecting it. "I was... having a nightmare and..."

"You exploded." Chloe sniggered. "I told you so."

"Shut up..." Max couldn't help but smirk and snuggle closer to her girlfriend.

"Aren't you tired?" Chloe asked, accepting the girl's presence against her naked body, a finger gently running up Max's back.

"No, I feel... fine. Better than fine... like I could... maybe..." She bit her bottom lip and looked at Chloe's blue eyes.

"Take on the world?" Chloe smirked.

"That too." Max laughed, finally feeling a slight drain on her stamina.

She released the power just as two girls entered the bedroom, disappearing along with the rest of the memories. Watching the clock over Chloe's shoulder Max didn't relax properly until the minute ticked by, confirming the return of the flow of time. She rest her head on Chloe's shoulder and sweetly bit her neck, enjoying the gentle gasp that escaped Chloe's lips. She was full of energy and wanted to use it, to embrace the sudden surge of emotions and lust she was experiencing. She had no idea where it came from, it was like a sudden rush as she allowed her power to deactivate, like the excess energy had been poured back into her.

"So..." Chloe said, gently prising Max from her neck. "Your nightmare... talk to me."

Max sighed and lay back, accepting she was the only one feeling this way. "It... was weird. Rachel was with us, I was having to save you both from some... weird... bullshit." She said, trying to remember the nightmare.

"What bullshit?" Chloe asked, taking a clear interest in Max's nightmare.

"Guys with guns, somebody else had a power, but it wasn't like mine." She shook her head. "It sounds so fucking stupid, but it felt so real, I could feel the rain in my hair."

"Couldn't be the future..." Chloe whispered, holding Max tightly and pressing her lips to Max's nose. "Try not to let it bother you."

"Distract me then..." Max muttered. "Whatever that power did... I feel really full of energy. I mean... bursting." She explained. "So if you don't keep me here, I'm going to go outside and run in the street."

Chloe smirked and kissed Max sweetly. "What did you have in mind?"

"I double dare you... to wear me the fuck out." Max said confidently, biting Chloe's lip teasingly.

"A double dare?" Chloe drew away from Max, teasing her further as she wanted to be close to her girlfriend.

"A double dog fucking dare if you don't get your ass back over here." Max growled, making Chloe laugh happily.

"You're on." Her girlfriend said, placing her leg over Max's and rolling her onto her back to pin her to the bed.

* * *

The bright sunlight woke Max from her sleep with a dull throbbing behind her eyes, the after effects of her powers activation in the middle of the night. She refused to open her eyes, content to think and remember her night with Chloe, the touch of her skin and the sound of her voice. Despite the rude awaekning it was a perfect night to finish off their pointless trip back to Arcadia Bay. In her opinion, now that she could look back on the past couple of days, it was a complete waste of their time just like Chloe explained to her at the party. They should be making the most of their lives, not holding off because they thought they had time. While the mention of Rachel Amber had worried her at first, Chloe had made a perfect argument in so few words that Max couldn't fault her girlfriend in the slightest.

Rolling onto her side she finally opened her eyes to look into Chloe's beautiful face, but couldn't help herself from glancing down at the girl's naked body and smiling. None of it had been a dream, and Chloe's state of undress was the perfect proof she needed of that. Rather than waking the girl who struggled to sleep she carefully slipped out of bed to get dressed, snatching up her discarded clothing and dropping them on the floor next to her bag as she rifled through the contents for fresh clothes. She pulled on her underwear and bra, then just as she was looking for a shirt to wear she heard a rustle of the covers behind her.

"Morning babe." Chloe said quietly.

"Morning." Max said, turning to face her girlfriend who was smiling at her happily.

"Sleep a bit better after your nightmare?" Chloe asked, already climbing off the bed to get dressed.

"I think you may have helped with that." Max said with a small grin, throwing a fresh vest top to Chloe.

"I am awesome, aren't I?" Chloe smirked, pulling the top over her head as she walked around the bed to Max.

"Hella awesome." She replied, taking hold of Chloe's hands. Chloe seemed to flinch when Max squeezed her hands a little too much. "What's wrong?"

"My left hand hurts a little, from last night I think." Chloe said, looking down at their hands.

Max looked at Chloe's left hand, thinking about the pain she felt in it. For the first time in two weeks she reached for the power she possessed, afraid of the damage she could cause, but curious as to whether it would even work. She tapped into that supernatural power and felt the world shift around her. Chloe's hands never left her own, she never left her side or returned to the bed. She released her power but Chloe was looking at her curiously.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked, looking into Max's eyes.

Max leaned over and picked up her discarded shirt from the night before and handed it to Chloe. "Throw it..." Chloe shrugged her shoulders and threw the shirt across the room. Once it hit the floor, Max tried rewinding again. The clothing returned to Chloe's hand, which is when Max released the power.

"Holy... fucking... shit... fucking... shit" Chloe yelled loudly, throwing the shirt away again. "This is fucking awesome! It wasn't just that once! Oh I could prank Step-shit to death!"

"I... don't want to use them." Max muttered, listening to Chloe coming up with pranks to play on David before they left. Her punk girlfriend stopped swearing to kiss her head affectionately.

"You don't have to. I'm sorry, I was just...thinking out loud. I told you, never again, I'll never fucking ask..." Max saw the glint in Chloe's eye and couldn't help herself from smirking, she'd seen that glint many times before. "But you have to admit... it is fucking awesome!" Chloe laughed.

Max shrugged her shoulders, but found some comfort in the fact she never had to worry about accidentally erasing Chloe's memories. She released Chloe's hands and finished getting dressed, aware of Chloe watching her closely, as though expecting her to fall down any moment.

"Max..." Chloe said, taking her by the hand and pulling her into a hug. "You don't have to worry, okay? Maybe it's because we had sex, or because we're so close... it... doesn't have to mean anything."

"But it does mean something..." She argued, trying to think of why it was a bad thing when she realised she had no argument. If anything it proved something else to her. "It means you're special to me, and you always will be."

"And you're special to me, you dork." Chloe laughed, repeating what Max had called her in the memory they shared.

"What if... the visions keep happening?" Max asked quietly, afraid of thinking of the past in case it created another ghost image of them.

"Well so far... it's only been that one time last night, right?" Chloe asked.

"No. The bathroom, the other day. I saw the same kind of... ghosts. But just that event, nothing like what we saw last night."

"It's just the past babe..." Chloe said.

"Yeah... I guess."

"Well... maybe by leaving Arcadia Bay they'll stop, or maybe they're like your storm visions and will stop by themselves eventually. Or maybe you just don't have to use your powers, which you don't want to do!" Chloe shrugged. "I... don't have the answers Max."

"I know Chloe. But I like hearing you try." Max smiled, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her girlfriend's forehead. "Well... if leaving Arcadia Bay will get my visions to stop... I think it's time to leave." She said confidently.

"You sure? There's nothing else you want to do?"

"I'm sure. Chloe Price... let's start our new lives together."

* * *

They finished getting dressed and packed their bags as quickly as possible. They raced down the stairs and out the front door, launching their bags into the back of Chloe's truck when they were stopped by Max's parents. Her Dad gave her a second credit card, along with instructions on where and how they were allowed to use it, then hugged her tightly along with her Mom. Joyce was talking to Chloe on the other side of the truck, no doubt giving instructions of her own before they quickly hugged too. Then their parents swapped children, Joyce gave Max a big hug and told her to stay safe, while Max could see her parents talking to Chloe and giving her a hug too. It wasn't a difficult good bye, Max really wanted to leave and she knew there was a future with Chloe that she wanted more than anything.

With Chloe's home soon behind them they made a detour towards Rachel's parents home, just as they promised they would do. Max wasn't looking forward to meeting Mr Amber again, despite the short introduction she had been given at Blackwell. It was a part of Chloe's past that she was hoping her girlfriend could leave behind so it would no longer trouble her, just like her own experiences in Blackwell.

Sitting in the truck outside Rachel's house, Chloe kept drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, moving to open the door and then stopping herself. Max placed a hand on Chloe's knee, trying to comfort her troubled girlfriend. She had no idea what Chloe was going through, especially after so many months without any support from Rachel's parents, and now James Amber had invited her over to go through Rachel's things.

"We don't have to do this." She said softly, running her other hand through Chloe's hair. "We could leave and never look back."

"I know but..." Chloe sighed sadly. "The blue rose into the ocean was supposed to end all this. We were meant to have a new start in LA and we're back in this shit hole, I'm back to staring at that front door hoping Rachel will come running through it."

"You... really loved her Chloe, it's okay to feel this way." Max whispered, pulling Chloe against her.

"But I'm with you, I shouldn't be feeling this way about somebody else." Chloe argued, resting her head on Max's shoulder.

"Everything takes time." Max said, gently stroking Chloe's hair. "Let's... go see if there's anything you want to remember her by."

After a moment Chloe finally nodded and they climbed out of the truck on the drivers side. Max quickly made sure to hold Chloe's hand as they walked up the path towards the front door. Chloe knocked sharply and took a step back while they waited. A woman opened the door and smiled sadly at Chloe.

"Hello Chloe." The woman said, taking a step back and waving them inside.

"Hey Mrs Amber." Chloe said as she walked over the threshold, followed closely by Max. "Max this is Rose Amber, Mrs Amber this is my girlfriend, Max."

"It's a pleasure to meet you dear." Rose said, shaking Max's hand politely. "Did you know Rachel too?"

"I wish I had." Max shrugged. "Unfortunately... I didn't get the chance."

"Maybe you will." Rose said, taking them by surprise. "James is in his study but he's a little bit busy."

"Would you mind if... we went up to Rachel's room, while we wait?" Chloe asked, apparently ignoring Rose's comment about Max maybe meeting Rachel.

"Of course dear. I know how stressful this must have been for you."

Max somehow knew Chloe was winding up for a blistering attack on the woman and quickly pulled her towards the stairs to stop her in her tracks. They didn't want a fight, especially as they were just about to leave Arcadia behind. "Show me Rachel's room." Max said, pushing Chloe up the stairs ahead of her.

"What the fuck did she mean by you maybe getting to meet Rachel?" Chloe said as she closed Rachel's bedroom door behind them.

"Maybe James hasn't told her the truth yet." Max shrugged, looking around the bedroom. There were pictures of Chloe and Rachel all over the room, pinned to the board, on the shelves by the door and even on her desk.

She couldn't help but to be nosy, picking up one of the pictures and looking at how happy the two girls were. Chloe walked over to the bed and looked at the few items that had been left on the bed. It was great to see Chloe so happy with somebody, especially as the pictures obviously meant as much to Rachel. She felt something on the back of the frame and turned it over to find a second picture stuck into the corner. Max grinned, it was a picture of Chloe when she was asleep, oblivious to the fact her picture had been taken.

"I've been thinking..." Chloe said, sitting on the bed with a torch in her hands. "Why aren't we seeing memories everywhere? If that's your power playing up?"

Max shrugged, she hadn't been trying to give it any thought. "Maybe... maybe it has to do with emotions. I mean... the bathroom is tied to two emotional events for me." She explained, replacing the picture and walking over to Chloe. "It's when my powers first activated, and I was trying so hard to save you. And then it's also the moment in time I would have had to endure had I..."

"Which you didn't." Chloe quickly took hold of Max's hands and gave them a squeeze. "Obviously last night was different... I mean... you exploded."

"Shut up..." Max said, nudging her gently. "But the memory we heard, the one we saw, was our first kiss."

"That one is definitely important." Chloe grinned.

"Especially to me." Max smiled happily. "It... started something special for us."

"So if they're tied to emotional events, do we need to recall them? Maybe... maybe I can show you Rachel, through my memories?"

Max cringed inwardly at the thought of revisiting Chloe's memories of her time with Rachel, just so she could get a glimpse of how the girl had been in life. It felt like an invasion of Rachel's life, not just Chloe's.

"Maybe..." Max said, releasing Chloe's hands. "But... I don't want you getting lost in revisiting what was."

"I won't... I mean... it's one time, right? We're leaving after this." Chloe argued, taking hold of Max's hips to keep her close. "We're never coming back here Max, we could at least try... please?"

"I don't know if it will work, I mean... it's not like I exactly controlled it last time." She said, trying to come up with an excuse not to let Chloe go through with her plan. She didn't think she could compete with a ghost of Rachel.

"Max... I said I'd never ask but... I'm never going to get another chance." Chloe said, a sad look in her pretty eyes. "We're leaving after this, we're never coming back and... and..."

"I understand." Max said, placing her hands to Chloe's neck and pulling her head against her chest. "Alright... fine... let's try."

"Thank you." Chloe whispered, wiping her eyes quickly. "So... what do we do?"

"Think of the memory I guess... something really emotional." Max shrugged trying to tap into that part of her abilities while watching the room around them for the signs of a ghost, or listening for a sound that wasn't them. Nothing was happening when Max suddenly heard a voice she didn't know.

"Chloe! Stop... no..." A girl laughed from behind Max. She turned to look but saw nothing yet, but the ghosts did take longer to appear than the sound.

"No fucking chance. You were warned!" Chloe said as a door slammed shut and more laughter followed.

"Just because I gave you a kiss does not give you all access to..." Rachel yelped as the ghosts appeared beside them falling onto the bed as the Ghost Chloe tackled Rachel. More laughter followed as Rachel struggled to escape Chloe's grip, her hands tickling Rachel's sides. It seemed the girl was almost as ticklish as Max if her yelps were anything to go by.

"You soaked my fucking shirt, I told you not to." Ghost Chloe said. Max felt her own Chloe gripping her tightly as the memory played out.

"Well... just take it off. I won't mind." Rachel laughed, finally pushing Chloe off her. "You can wear one of mine again."

"Whenever I come over I end up wearing your things." Chloe said, climbing off the bed and over to Rachel's wardrobe.

"That's because you look hella good in my things." Rachel said, lying back on her bed. Chloe may not have noticed it in the past, but Rachel was watching her change and Max could see the happiness behind her eyes.

"She... liked you too." Max whispered to Chloe who was looking at Rachel behind her.

"I never knew she looked at me like that back... then." Chloe said, a tear rolling down her cheek which Max caught with her thumb.

"When did that happen?" Max asked as the memory around them faded away.

"Six months before she..." The girl sighed and turned back to Max, resting her head against her chest once more. "I think. Those days could turn into a blur during the weekends, when we would spend as much time together as we could."

"It was more than a crush." Max said, recalling their conversation some weeks ago. "Wasn't it?"

"Yeah..." Chloe whispered. "We... slept together once... the night before." She admitted, but it felt like a gut punch Max wasn't expecting.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked, trying not to sound hurt.

"I didn't know if it was real. Didn't understand how she could go from... sex... to leaving me behind." Chloe said, her grip on Max tightening. "I... buried it, tried to forget about it. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Max held her girlfriend close, refusing to let her down again. "You don't need to apologise for that. It's a good memory. Hopefully... it helps you realise she loved you too."

Chloe nodded into Max's chest. "Yeah... maybe."

The door behind Max opened, causing her to turn her head towards the noise. James Amber was walking into the room with a couple of files in his hands, and a sad look on his face. Max gently wiped Chloe's tears away before releasing her girlfriend and sitting beside her.

"Thank you for coming, both of you." James said, closing the door behind him. "I know I asked you here to go through Rachel's things but... I'm afraid that was a lie."

"You're very good at those." Chloe said, causing Max to look at her confused. "I'll explain later."

"I didn't ask you here to fight again Miss Price." James walked over and passed Chloe the files. "After everything the two of you must have gone through trying to find Rachel, I only thought it was right to show you this."

Chloe flicked open the file and held it so they could both read the contents. At first Max didn't understand all of the medical jargon in the report, but she knew exactly what _'Not a match'_ meant on a file about DNA. Chloe was slightly quicker than Max.

"What the fuck does it mean not a match?" Chloe demanded, passing the file to Max and standing up. "I fucking saw her!"

"So did I." Max added, placing the file on the bed. "We dug her up, we saw her body."

"And I believe you think you saw her, but her body... the state of that body... you may not have seen her properly." James said sadly. "The truth is... we still haven't found Rachel."

"But there were pictures of her in the junkyard with Nathan! How does she go from being there to... vanishing? It doesn't make sense." Chloe argued a little more loudly.

"They wouldn't let her go... she'd seen their faces." Max added quietly, thinking about what Jefferson had been about to do to her. "She'd remember what they did."

"You need to ask Jefferson what he did with her." Chloe demanded almost immediately. "That sick fuck would know!"

"That sick fuck, as you put it, is in Federal Custody. I can't get anywhere near him and believe me I have tried." James sighed. "He got a Lawyer, and was picked up by the FBI a couple of days after the storm. They're not willing to share anything with me about an ongoing case."

"So... how did you get the DNA results?" Chloe asked, looking at the file on the bed.

"I still have some friends, that was all they could get me. The girl you found was from LA, went missing a few months before Rachel. From what they have told me, officially, is Rachel may have been abducted."

"Abducted? When she was fucking dead?" Chloe shouted. "What the fuck are you on about?!"

"She may not have been dead." James tried to explain. "I don't know the full information still. They've told me it's possible Rachel may still be alive somewhere, and not to give up hope. I know what she meant to you Chloe, and I hate doing this to you but I thought you ought to know the truth, something that I... failed to give Rachel while she was with us."

"So some sick fuck dug up Rachel and replaced her?"

"I don't know, I don't have access to that information."

"You haven't told Mrs Amber yet, have you?" Max asked, putting the pieces together. "She still thinks she's out there."

"Until we find her body... I will not put Rose through that, if there's even a chance Rachel is alive. Please understand, I've always put my daughter above everything else." James responded quietly.

"Yet you fucking lied to her and kept lying up until the last possible minute." Chloe said angrily. "And now... you're telling me I still don't know whether my best friend is alive... or dead and buried in another unmarked grave somewhere! Fuck. You." She barged past James as she made to leave, pulling open the door and storming away from the room.

* * *

When Max left the house Chloe was already leaning against the truck with a cigarette in her hand, but it wasn't lit yet. She kept tapping it on the truck as Max approached, but never put it to her lips. The first thing Max did was take the cigarette from her hand and wrap her arms around her girlfriend, who quickly returned the embrace. Max couldn't help but think about what they'd heard. After everything they went through to find Rachel, to find the Dark room, only half of the mystery was solved. But they were out of leads, the trail was cold after the junkyard.

"Even Jefferson thought she was dead..." Max said, thinking back to her time in the Dark Room. "He told me himself. What the fuck is going on?"

"I don't know..." Chloe muttered, burying her head between Max's shoulder and neck. "I... fuck..."

She listened to Chloe's beating heart, wondering what they could do, whether she should finally use her powers again to try to get them answers, or to even force a change in the timeline. The thought of another tornado ripping apart Arcadia Bay quickly put an end to those thoughts, but she decided to ask anyway, she would do anything for the girl she loved.

"Chloe... do you want me to..." She started to say, but was silenced by Chloe with a kiss.

"No. I am not losing this because you tried to live up to being a hero." Chloe smiled softly. "I won't risk it, I can't risk it. Do you understand?"

"If I could find a way... without risking us..." Max said, looking into Chloe's blue eyes.

"Max... no. I don't want to lose what we have, not for anybody. Yes... I miss her, I will always miss her but I can't do it. You're too important, too special."

"You'll never know what happened to her though." Max argued sadly. "I... don't want you to regret not trying."

"I'd prefer seeing you happy with me, than never seeing you again." Chloe whispered, nuzzling Max's nose. "Whatever we do... don't change the timeline, no matter what. Do you understand? I need these weeks, I need you." She said sternly. "Max... I need you."

"You'll never lose me Chloe. I won't change the timeline... I promise."

"But... you're right... I need answers. I need to know what happened to her, I can't leave." Chloe sighed and held Max tightly.

Max tried not to think of her dreams slowly falling apart around them. "Where do we start though? We've hit a dead end, it's supposed to be over."

"We can see the past with your new power..." Chloe shrugged.

"Things we experienced, not... just the past." Max said as she started pacing in front of Chloe, not sure her idea was going to work. She wasn't even sure how these powers even worked yet, they'd only activated that night. She'd had no time to test them or understand them, not like she was really trying to though.

"When... that memory happened, in Rachel's bedroom, I never saw her face. I had no idea she looked at me like that. That's not my memory, that's the past." Chloe reasoned. "Otherwise we'd only see what we remember, right?"

"I guess..." Max shrugged. "But it's only a guess! We could go there and nothing will happen"

"But it's worth a shot! Let's go to the junkyard and try to... get a clue. At least that way we could put those idiots on the right path!"

Max got into the truck with an unsettled feeling deep in her stomach. The closer they got to Chloe's old haunt the worst it felt, almost like she was being taken to the end of her life. The last time she'd been at the junkyard she'd watched Chloe get shot and was drugged by Jefferson, a memory she would witness in her nightmares. When they left the vehicle they could see the devastation the tornado had caused to the heaps of junk, ruining the well worn paths they had walked through only weeks ago.

Fortunately there was a small path cleared of debris, right up to the place of a shallow grave. Chloe's arm wrapped around Max's waist, Max returned the embrace, supporting one another as they approached the place they believed Rachel had been buried.

"Fuck... I didn't want to come back here." Chloe muttered, looking away from the small hole.

"We should leave." Max said, feeling uncertain and nervous. Everything felt so wrong to her, out of place. Her left hand was starting to ache once more and she didn't want to be in the junkyard if the past started appearing around them, especially if it pulled memories from alternative timelines too.

"Just... use your power, try to find Rachel." Chloe pleaded, releasing Max to pace the site. "Quick, so we can get the fuck out of here."

Max closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to find the power that had activated in the night. She didn't understand what she was looking for, but when Chloe gave an audible gasp she opened her eyes. There in front of them stood Nathan and Mark Jefferson, with a girl bagged at their feet in the hole. Chloe turned away and coughed, sounding like she was about the throw up. But Max had to watch, she had to understand so they could find her. The memory played out until the girl was completely buried, but then it ended. Max could see no further into the past, like a mental block was stopping her ability.

"That's all I could see." She said, sitting on the grass next to the stump of a tree as her heart pounded in her chest. "It was Rachel they buried."

"You're sure?" Chloe asked sadly, sitting beside her.

"I'll try again." Max sighed, once again tapping into the power.

She viewed the event three times before she was satisfied with her answers, and feeling physically sick at watching it so much.

"I can't see past that, it won't play... like I don't know what's going to happen." She complained, pulling at her hair. She wanted answers for her girlfriend, for herself, so they could finally leave. "I want to fucking leave this place!" She shouted, trying to watch the memory for a fourth time.

She watched every little detail, trying to feel herself there so the memory would play out. Intent on waiting for her answer even if it took all night. It felt like her life depended on the event, like it would finally finish the pieces of a puzzle she was looking at. She pushed every fibre of her being into that moment, hoping beyond reason that it would finally give her an answer.

A car pulled into the junkyard and two people got out, a male and a female. She watched as the two people opened the trunk of the car and took something heavy out, carefully carrying it towards the grave. The woman had a bag over her shoulder, similar to the one Max had left in Chloe's truck with all her cards, camera and ID. She remained quiet, watching the event finally unfold, hoping her girlfriend would do the same thing.

"Why a fucking junkyard?" The woman said angrily. "Of all the fucking places, he could have dumped her in a garbage bin instead."

"The kid. He's grooming him. Some big shot's son." The man said as he knelt down and started clearing dirt off of Rachel's body.

"I don't give a fuck. He's the fucking idiot that keeps saying we should stick to the plan, not go half-cocked. But it's okay for the almighty Jefferfuck." She argued, pulling a syringe and vial from her bag as the man ripped open the bag around Rachel's body.

"Not his fault somebody bought the girl. She's high value. They get the girl, Mark gets paid, we get paid, everybody's happy." The man said, stepping back to allow the woman to inject Rachel with something.

"And if she dies, nobody gets fucking paid and we risked our asses dragging a dead bitch up here for nothing. Oh, and we have to dump another fucking body." The woman growled, pulling the needle from the girl and carefully cleaning the syringe. "An hour and she'll be right as fucking rain..."

"Yeah, for a day." The man laughed as they carefully lift Rachel out of the ground.

"Don't leave the fucking oh-two tank. If she's ever dug up I don't wanna get busted because we fucked our end of the job." The woman said as they walked back through the junkyard carrying Rachel.

Max turned to Chloe expecting her to be happy with the information they'd received, only she wasn't there. She hadn't even heard her get up to move away. A panic clutched at her chest as she tried to release the power, only she was still in the junkyard, in the middle of the night.

_Well done SuperMax. You've really fucked up this time._


	9. Before the Beginning

Racing down the stairs into the kitchen she felt like she was on top of the world. Nothing could go wrong after such an amazing weekend. They had a solid plan, Chloe would get the cash to fix the truck, she'd get through the school year and then they were gone. Her dreams were going to be a reality, even if she had to leave Mark and Frank behind to get them.

"Good Morning Rachel, I didn't know you'd stayed the night." Joyce said politely, turning to get another plate out of the cupboard.

"Hi Joyce! I hope you don't mind, Chloe wanted some company and she promised to take me to school." She smiled happily at the woman who had always been like another mother to her.

"You're always welcome here hunnie, you just need to ignore the grumpy old man." The woman smiled, putting eggs and bacon on the three plates.

"Would you mind if I took our food up to Chloe? She's still snoring and I'd rather not wake her... she had a rough night." Rachel said, taking the pack of bacon out of the fridge and passing it to the woman.

"Of course, just make sure to bring the plates back down. I'm tired of having to go looking for them when we run out." Joyce laughed, accepting the bacon from Rachel and adding them to the pan. "Will you both be back tonight? Or shall I not worry?"

"Uhm... I'm not sure, I'll check with Chloe and tell her to let you know." She replied, putting the knives and forks on their plates.

"Alright dear, well have a good day at school if I don't see you before you leave."

"Thank you for breakfast!" She called out as she carefully picked up the plates.

At the top of the stairs she kicked open the door she hadn't closed properly, causing Chloe to jump and cover up her bare chest, only to scowl and release the covers from around herself. Rachel couldn't help herself from eyeing up Chloe's body, kicking the door closed behind her before placing their plates on the end of the bed.

"Breakfast is served." She grinned as Chloe pulled a vest top on, barely covering the sides of her breasts.

"I am fucking starving..." The blue haired girl said, sliding down the bed to collect her plate.

Rachel couldn't allow her to take the meal without a quick peck on the lips, a peck that turned into a slow passionate kiss. It was going to be the first of many more throughout the next few years, something she would look forward to every morning.

"What was that for..." Chloe whispered as they broke apart.

"For being you." Rachel said, flicking Chloe's nose with her own. "I'm sorry I waited so long for last night... for us."

"I'm sorry too." The girl replied, sitting back with her plate on her lap. "I still can't believe it happened." She said, taking a bite of her bacon.

"Believe it. You... gave me the best night of my life." Rachel sat on the floor by the plate on the bed and took a piece of bacon, chewing the meat as she watched Chloe.

"Why did it take us so fucking long?" Chloe said, cutting up an egg. "I mean... we've been sleeping in the same bed for years... what the fuck stopped us?"

"I don't know... but if I could go back in time, I'd make sure we got our shit together sooner." Rachel laughed.

"So we could have a hella good time." Chloe grinned, chewing on another piece of bacon.

Rachel smirked and nodded. "Oh yeah... an awesome time!"

They finished their meal quickly and Rachel collected the plates, putting them on the chair in front of Chloe's TV. When she stood up and turned around Chloe was already climbing off the bed, her vest top off once more as she hunted for a bra. Rachel grinned and walked across the room towards her, plucking the bra out of her hand and placing a kiss between her bare breasts.

"If I didn't have school..." Rachel whispered.

"Skip it... spend it with me." Chloe said, cupping her cheeks with her hands. "We'll get the cash together, come back here or go to the junkyard... just us." There was almost a pleading edge to her voice, like she didn't want to be alone.

"Not today." Rachel replied sadly, kissing Chloe's chest once more. "I have to meet Nathan after school, we need a chat."

"Alright." Chloe nodded with a small smile at the touch. "Can... I have my bra back now? Or you're going to be late to school."

With a small smirk she reluctantly pulled away and held the bra out to Chloe, allowing the girl to finally cover up her hot body. Rachel took the time while Chloe finished getting dressed to hang up some of her own clothes in the wardrobe in case she needed them later. She touched the picture of Max that had been hidden inside on the wardrobe wall, the image of the ghost she had been fighting for years.

_She's mine now._ She thought, noticing the smile on Chloe's face in the picture and the happiness behind her eyes.

"All set?" Chloe asked, pulling on her boots as Rachel turned around.

"Yep." She said, her plan in mind for the day. It was going to be a long one, but she had to get these things done for Chloe.

They left Chloe's home behind them and climbed into her waiting truck. The poor thing was on its last legs despite Chloe's considerable care for the old girl, it's why they needed the money so badly. Chloe could only do so much, as awesome as she was as a mechanic it needed new parts. After trying three times the engine finally roared to life.

"We really need to get her fixed." Chloe said as she carefully drove them towards Blackwell.

"That's what the money's for! So... as soon as you drop me off..."

"Text Frank, get him to meet, beg him for a fucking loan." Chloe recited.

"We'll be leaving soon." Rachel whispered, sliding across the seat and kissing Chloe's cheek. "I can feel it."

"We just need to stick to the plan." Chloe grinned happily.

Chloe pulled up outside of Blackwell as students were sat at benches waiting for the first lesson of the day. Rachel remained in the truck with her best friend, deciding to make the most of the time they had left before she had to be in school and try to make up her attendance for the previous week. It was strange to rest her head against Chloe's chest instead of on her shoulder as she'd become so accustomed to, but it felt more natural, like they belonged this way.

"I really wish..." She started to say as she heard the bell inside the school. "We could have done this sooner." She finished, sitting up slowly.

"There's more time..." Chloe said, gently stroking Rachel's hair out of her eyes.

"All the time in the world, right?" She asked, wanting to hear Chloe say it.

"All the time." The girl smiled.

"When you pick me up later, we need to talk. A lot. Okay?"

"Alright, just text me when you're ready."

"I'll be texting you in class too." Rachel winked as she climbed out of the truck.

"Texting or sexting?" Chloe smirked.

"Find out later." She answered, waving to Chloe as she walked away from the truck.

Before she entered the building she pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled down through her list of contacts until she found Frank's number. She sighed and hit the call button, hating the fact she had to do this.

"Hey Rach, what's up? I'm about to meet a client." Frank said quickly.

"Chloe by any chance?" She asked, walking towards the gym so she was out of sight if Wells came looking for her.

"Yeah actually, something about a loan. So make it quick babe, what's up?"

"I need you to give Chloe the loan." Rachel said, leaning against the wall of the building while keeping an eye on the campus grounds. "Like seriously, give it to her."

"You've gotta be kidding me? She's a fucking deadbeat! You said it yourself!" Frank argued. "She'll never pay it back."

"I've cleared her debts in the past Frank, even got caught once doing it. So just give her the money, I'll square it with you if she doesn't." She shook her head, waiting for his answer. "Frank, I have class, please tell me you'll do it."

"Fine, for you. Look... about the other night..." He started to say when she cut him off.

"I have class, I need to go. We'll talk later, just give her the money."

"Alright... see you soon." He said before she quickly hung up.

Reluctantly she started heading back across the campus grounds to the main doors, hoping the day would go quickly so she could return to spending time with the person she wanted to be with right then. She had no idea how she was going to talk to Mark about her plans, but he'd understand, maybe even help them if she asked kindly enough. He wasn't about to leave Arcadia Bay for her, she knew that was a pipe dream, but he had the contacts she needed to get into modeling in LA when she finally got there. It was going to be the hardest conversation to have with him, especially with how she felt.

Throughout the day she'd send Chloe texts, asking what she was doing and complaining she was bored. Once in a while she'd throw in a flirty message, hoping to tease the blue haired girl for later. Chloe was quick to offer to pick her up at lunch so she could skip the rest of the day, but Rachel reminded her she had to speak to Nathan. The day proved to be slower than she'd liked, having to listen to lectures and do the work.

Her mind kept returning to the night before when she wasn't texting Chloe, wondering how different their lives could have been had they stopped messing around for the last two years and opened up how they truly felt. She regretted feeling the need to fight against the ghost of Max, when she should have just been herself, just as they had started off. It was a state she wanted their relationship to return to, no more masks or lies, just them against the world as it should have always been.

When she finally left school in the afternoon she found Nathan waiting for her by the fountain, his photographic portfolio in his hands.

"So... you wanted to talk?" She said, crossing her arms as she stood in front of him. "After accusing me of drug muling?"

"Madsen caught me! I had to fucking say something and he led the questions." Nathan said defensively. "I figured I'd give him what he wanted and shut him up."

"At the cost of my reputation, maybe even getting me expelled." Rachel retorted.

"I said I'd make it up to you." He smiled nicely. "Maybe a photo session? If I get known, you'll get known!" He argued.

"That's a load of shit, and you know it!" Rachel laughed, pushing past him to make her way to the parking lot, already reaching for her phone.

"Come on! Jefferson is giving me private lessons, I'll be known in no time! I'll even pay you! Come on... just us, like old times?"

Rachel sighed and crossed her arms once more, her phone still in her hand. "When?" She asked, thinking of the money they needed. Every bit would help.

"Now?"

"Got cash?"

"A hundred dollars in my truck. All yours." He said with a hopeful smile on his face. She ran a hand through her hair and nodded.

"Alright, fine. I've got a couple of hours."

"Excellent!" He grinned, already leading the way towards the parking lot.

She followed him, thinking of the money she was going to be paid for a couple of hours doing what she enjoyed.

"So... where are we doing this photo session?" She asked as they climbed into his vehicle. She'd never been back to the Prescott estate, and she would normally allow the photography sessions in the boys dorm rooms, though rumours had started to circulate about her time in there.

"I know a place, you'll love it! A proper art studio!" He grinned happily. "Want a drink? Just water." He said, offering her a bottle of water.

"Sure." She said nonchalant.

She opened the bottle and took a gulp of the cool water, paying no attention to the direction they were traveling in. Nathan talked the whole journey, though she wasn't paying much attention to his rambling. They'd spent enough time together in the past for her to know what he was talking so enthusiastically about. Photography, how much of an ass his father was, how awesome Jefferson was, how he really liked Victoria. It was repetitive and boring, but he always came back to her for help. She was a good listener after all.

As she tried to focus on the road ahead she felt as though the world was starting to spin around her, she was feeling sleepier than normal and it worried her.

"Maybe... we should do this later..." She started to say. "I think I may have... eaten something funny." She took deep breaths, trying to steady her feeling of nausea. She took another gulp of the water, hoping it would help her head.

"Want me to take you home?" Nathan asked, but he sounded distorted and sluggish.

"Yeah..." She said before passing out against the door of the truck.

* * *

The flashing light and constant clicking was growing louder as her senses gradually came back to her. She was lying on the floor at an awkward angle, her head pressed firmly against the floor. Blinking twice to try to clear her vision she saw Nathan sat on a couch with a camera in his hands, watching as somebody else took pictures of her. She groaned and tried to move.

"No, no, don't move, you're in the perfect position." An older male said softly. She glanced down at Jefferson and her stomach turned to ice.

"Mark..." She said sadly, trying to find the words but her mouth felt dry.

"It's perfect... absolutely perfect." He sounded so happy as he moved around, lining up another shot. "Do you see... the change in her eyes?" He asked Nathan. "Come closer, look, right there... the innocence lost."

"You... sick...fucking... fuck..." She managed to say, trying harder to move.

"I think it's time for another dose." He sighed. "Give me the next needle." He ordered, turning to Nathan.

"Please... Nathan... no." She pleaded as the boy she knew handed Jefferson a needle from a trolley. "Please..." She begged as Jefferson slid the needle into her neck and applied pressure to the plunger, flooding her body once more with the drug.

Her vision blurred and she felt herself slipping down into the darkness again. She tried to fight it, to remain aware of the room around her but it slipped away from her like sand through her fingers.

Some time later she felt her senses returning again and tried to move once more, sliding slowly away from the noise of two people talking. A laugh broke the conversation and she could see Nathan watching her, his camera in his hands as she backed into a corner of the room. She fixed him with a stare, anger and rage filling her heart as she looked on the two people she once trusted.

"Remember Nathan..." Jefferson said calmly.

"Always take the shot." Nathan said, lining up the angle as Rachel glared at him.

With a flash the camera went off, capturing her anger and rage in that moment, a picture she never wanted to see. She breathed deeply, trying to contain her anger that she had no way of using. She knew what was coming as Jefferson walked across the floor with another needle in his hands. He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair, making her flinch away from the touch. Nathan walked away towards a computer behind the couch.

"It will all be over soon." He said soothingly. "Not much longer now."

"Fuck. You." She growled, flinching as his hand grabbed her arm.

"Never again, I'm afraid." He whispered as the needle pierced her skin. "You... could have been so much more." He said, sitting back. "It's just a shame you allowed your impulses to control you."

"Fuck. You." She repeated as she heard a vibrating coming from somewhere beyond the couch.

"Number 35." Nathan said loudly, waving the phone at Jefferson.

"Ignore it." Jefferson responded, standing up. "She'll keep calling like the dumb obsessed bitch she is."

"She'll find me..." Rachel said as she started to slide sideways into the wall. "She'll... find... me..." She said again, trying to believe it as she slipped into the darkness for the third time, expecting it to be the end once more.

The third time was the worst for her, realising she was locked in this repetitive cycle of being drugged and waking to the sound and flash of the camera. She had no idea what time it was, how long she'd been drugged, whether she'd been dosed before the last time wore off. Feeling the nausea in her stomach she coughed and threw up, forcing her to roll onto her side so she wouldn't choke. Jefferson and Nathan made no effort to help her, instead continuing to take their sordid pictures of her in such a vulnerable state.

She could no longer fight on, she remained lying still and tried to focus her mind on the only person who had ever truly been there for her, through all of her shit, all of her lies. The blue haired girl who had saved her life and been a true friend for two years. She felt the tears in her eyes as she realised she would never get to see Chloe again, never get to hear her voice or see her smile. It shattered her heart as she heard Nathan's footsteps slowly approaching, a needle in his hand.

"Just... do it." She sobbed, wanting the end to come already.

Nathan knelt down beside her and pushed the needle into her neck, she felt the drugs start to work and hoped it would be the last time she ever feel asleep.

* * *

Lights were flashing beyond her closed eyes, she didn't want to open them and find herself back in that room, back with those assholes who she had trusted. They were taunting her more, that's all the light could be. She didn't want to look upon their faces again, didn't want to keep suffering. When the flashing lights didn't stop she cautiously opened her eyes to see the street lights zipping by through the window of the car she was lying in. An IV drip was hanging awkwardly from the seat in front of her, with the feed leading into the back of her right hand.

Panic clutched at her and she quickly tried to move but her limbs felt sluggish and weak. She thought they weren't content to just drug her, that they were abducting her too. She tried to look at the driver and could see a hint of blue as the lights flicked off the girl's hair. There was only one girl she knew with blue hair which gave her a moment of comfort, the belief that Chloe had found and rescued her. The only person she could trust. She lay back, trying to think past her slow thoughts but it was all a blur of the last few hours, the room, the snapping camera, the calm instructions Jefferson had given to Nathan.

As the minutes passed she felt more like herself, the strength returning to her dull limbs as she watched the street lights pass by. She realised then that she was no longer in Arcadia Bay, they'd been driving for too long and the lights weren't the same. They were on a highway somewhere, in a car that wasn't Chloe's truck. She grew concerned, wondering what was going on.

Rather than alert the girl to her state of awareness she chose to watch the lights passing by, trying to get as much time to regain all the strength she could in case she had to make a run for it. The sunrise broke beyond the veil of darkness, turning the sky slowly blue as the stars disappeared from view. She checked her shorts pockets, wondering if she had her phone but it was gone, along with her wallet and IDs.

Relaxing back into the soft seats she started to fall asleep again, the blurring of the street lights startled her at first, until she realised it was her own need for sleep that was overcoming her.

Some time later she woke up in an unknown room, sweating and feeling sick. The IV was still plugged into her arm, stopping her from turning to her left. Instead she rolled to the right and threw up into a carefully placed bucket then fell back into the bed, shivering and shaking from the strange effects. As soon as the nausea subsided she fell back to sleep in the bed, aware of a girl moving around it to pick up the bucket.

At one point she woke up in the dead of night to the soothing touch of Chloe's lips on her mouth, pulling her from the nightmares she'd been experiencing. She was back in Chloe's bedroom, wrapped up warm in the girl's loving embrace and everything after had been a bad dream, a nightmare she had endured because she had ignored the advice of her lover. She sighed and tried to relax.

"It's okay." Chloe said gently. "Just a bad dream."

"It was horrible." Rachel muttered, trying not to think about it.

"You're safe now, I've always kept you safe." Chloe whispered.

"I know... and I've done nothing but betray your love." She cried, realising it was time to tell the truth, to make the girl understand how she'd been feeling.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. It's fine, whatever you've done we can work past it." Chloe touched her cheek gently. "You've been so brave."

"I've been a fuck up." She replied, looking at Chloe's blue eyes. "I dealt drugs to pay our debts, I've taken more at parties, I never told you the truth."

"But you did it for us."

"I did it for me, to escape Arcadia Bay. I did it because I needed to leave." She said. "I... am so fucking sorry."

"We would have left together." Chloe said gently, kissing her forehead.

"No Chloe... I would have left without you if I had the chance... and I shouldn't have. I should have been more like you, more loyal." Rachel replied, placing a hand to Chloe's cheek and finding the bed covers instead. A tear slid down her face when she realised she'd been hallucinating. "I am so fucking sorry." She cried until warm arms wrapped around her and she fell back to sleep.

More time had passed, more wasted hours when she should have been trying to contact Chloe. This time she was in the back of a truck, the IV feed above her head. The girl was driving again and there was a bucket beside Rachel in the footwell. She didn't feel as sick as the last time she had woken, but the same shivering and shaking still assailed her body, causing the nausea to increase. There was a feeling in the back of her mind that she was still being drugged and abused by this strange girl who still hadn't said anything in God knows how long. Not that she could remember. She opened her mouth to say something and once again tipped sideways to throw up into the bucket. The moments she was aware were blurring together into a memory of nothing but waking to throw up, only to fall back to sleep again afterwards. It was a tiring experience.

She woke up in a double bed in a very small apartment, the noise of traffic outside the thin windows barely covered by the much too small curtains. The shivering and shaking had passed, but the IV was still secured in her arm. For a moment she was tempted to rip it out and try to escape when a small hand was placed to her forehead, checking her temperature. She looked at the girl with wide eyes, trying to understand how and where she had come from.

"Hi Rach." The girl said, walking across the small room to a dining table and picking up a small bottle of water.

The girl handed it to Rachel, who checked the seal hadn't been cracked before risking taking a drink. The cool water soothed her sore throat, granting her a brief respite from the pain.

"How long have I been... like that." Rachel asked first.

"A week, ish. Had to detox you." The girl said, sitting on the end of the bed with her own bottle of water.

"Why?"

"Well the shit they gave you to keep you compliant and the stuff to wake you up, it's a bad combination apparently." The girl shrugged.

"Where am I?" She said, sitting up slowly in the bed to look at the girl a little better. "What time is it? What day?"

"April 30th, eleven o'clock at night and you are in San Francisco." The girl answered. "I'm sorry it's not LA, but... this is as far as we could get."

Rachel frowned at the girl, wondering why she mentioned LA, questioning why she'd been taken away from Arcadia Bay, taken away from Chloe who was probably going fucking nuts trying to find her.

"Who are you?" She asked, certain she already knew the answer.

"I'm Max." The girl said with a gentle smile. "Chloe has told me all about you."

"I knew it!" Rachel said, the girl's answer confirming what she'd suspected. "I'm having another fucking hallucination."

"I'm not a hallucination." Max said, reaching out and taking Rachel's hand. She flinched at the touch, trying to withdraw her hand from the girl's grip. "See? I'm here."

"This isn't happening..." Rachel snapped her hand away and pulled her knees up to her chest. "How is this happening? You left... you abandoned her."

"We have a lot to talk about." Max stood up and placed her bottle of water on the table. "And you're not going to believe me about most of it."

"Don't go all fucking cryptic on me!" Rachel shouted. "I had enough of that shit out of my dad. Just fucking try me."

The petite girl nodded, sat down in an armed chair at the table and started her story about a tornado, which she said was going to hit Arcadia Bay. As Max had said, Rachel didn't believe her at first, but as Max's story progressed she found it more difficult to believe she was lying. She could provide details without an issue, showing none of the signs Rachel had spent her life looking for when somebody lied to her. When Max explained her time travel powers, she even put on a small demonstration. She set up the bottle on the other side of the room and told Rachel to keep watching it, then used her powers to snatch it back without moving from her seat. Max was an open book, honest and truthful throughout, even about her love for Chloe and how much they'd been through together. When Rachel pushed for more answers about Chloe, Max willingly gave them up. Including how they'd come to realise their love for one another.

It felt like a knife to the heart, but in a strange way she tried to understand it from Chloe's point of view. She'd believed Rachel was dead, she'd always pined after Max even when she hadn't realised she was doing it. Like a piece of a puzzle it fit perfectly, and she couldn't find the rage in herself to be upset after what she had done to Chloe for all those months.

"You haven't told me... how you rescued me." Rachel said quietly. "You've explained your powers, how it all works. But if you're here now... haven't you already fucked up the timeline?"

"That was something I checked as soon as I could." Max answered. "See this?" She said, holding the blue highlight in her hair. "I didn't have blue in my hair when I was seventeen. I was living in Seattle and definitely didn't dress like this." She indicated the ripped jeans and dark shirt. "I don't know what I've done this time... but I am here with you, and I can't get back to Chloe."

"Does that mean... she's all alone again?" Rachel asked sadly. "You... can't leave her like that, you can't do that to her again."

"I have a plan, I think." Max said, sounding a little more confident. "Even if I need to wait with you for the next six months... I won't let her be alone. Not again."

Max made to get out of her chair, but her hand slipped on the arm causing her to hit her side against the furniture, she winced and gasped, quickly cradling her side. Rachel tried to get up quickly but got caught up with her IV feed, eventually having to give up as Max gingerly sat down on the bed to recover.

"What happened when you saved me?" Rachel asked, touching Max's side tentatively, noting the girl's pained expression.

Max appeared to allow Rachel to lift the top over a large painful bruise on her side. "I... wasn't quick enough." The girl said, wincing as Rachel touched the injury.


	10. Avoiding Pain

Although Rachel had now asked her three times to recall the events in the junkyard, Max couldn't bring herself to talk about it. For almost a week she had tried to forget what happened there, tried to ignore they had ever happened. It wasn't her proudest moment and unlike Chloe she couldn't confide in Rachel, they hardly knew each other even if she was once again being looked at like some kind of hero.

Hero. The word was a lie. Max was an accident that kept making mistakes to cover up for her other critical errors in judgement.

She'd made her excuses to leave Rachel alone in the room, going into the bathroom to finally get a shower and check her injuries. Rachel had only seen the one on her side, but she'd continued wearing long sleeve shirts to cover up the other marks. Removing her shirt she looked at the marks on her wrists, then over her shoulder at another bruise on her back, finally she removed her jeans and looked at a third on her leg. She turned on the shower and removed the rest of her clothes before stepping under the warm water.

While Rachel had been getting over the combination of drugs she'd been dosed with, Max hadn't had any real time to herself. When the girl woke up screaming, she'd been there for her, wrapping her arms around the emotional blonde and trying to help her through it. Rachel talked in her sleep and Max would remain still, comforting her some more. She'd even tried to help her through the hallucinations. Now that the girl was finally of a sound mind it gave Max an opportunity to finally take time for herself.

She pressed her forehead against the tiles of the shower wall and closed her eyes tightly, thinking of Chloe sat alone in the junkyard waiting for her in the future. Thinking of what Chloe was currently going through now that Rachel had disappeared. She could change everything in an instant and allow the timeline to change, but she couldn't bring herself to even risk losing her girlfriend, to risk undoing what they had been through together no matter how tough the next few months proved to be.

Her plan was weak at best, especially if she was wrong. The only proof she had was her clothes and blue highlight. She'd checked her pockets thoroughly for even a scrap of evidence, a photograph or a receipt, but she had nothing.

A tear started to roll down her face to be lost in the falling water, her thoughts had returned to Chloe. Every minute of every hour that rolled by she couldn't help but think about their love at least once, the touch of her lips or the smell of her blue hair. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. She wanted to rush to Chloe's side and apologise for taking Rachel away from her when she could have saved her and saved Chloe six months of pain. After a week of holding it in she finally broke, sitting on the floor under the shower as she let her tears fall freely, trying to remain quiet as she felt the effects of what she'd done, accepting her selfish actions just so she could keep Chloe to herself.

Some time later she left the bathroom and returned to the small room she was sharing with Rachel, aware of the blonde haired girl watching her from the bed. Max hooked the blue highlight behind her ear and sat on the edge of the bed, sighing as her emotions continued to pull at her heart. She wanted more than anything to fall asleep and wake up in Arcadia Bay, snuggled into Chloe's loving arms.

"You okay?" Rachel asked gently.

"Yeah." Max nodded, trying not to start crying again.

"I… could hear you. I'd have checked on you except…" Rachel held her arm up to indicate the IV feed. "You've not exactly told me if I can take it out."

Max choked back a laugh and got off the bed, walking around the side to remove the IV now that the girl was awake. "I've been doing a lot of guesswork." She explained, pulling the medical bag up from off the floor and onto the bed. "So… I'm really sorry if I've messed up."

"I'm still alive." Rachel smiled gently, watching Max as she removed the needle from the back of her hand and pressing a cotton pad to the small wound.

"Barely." Max grinned, snapping the needle from the plastic and disposing of it carefully. "They had you hooked up, I've just been learning how to change over the bags and make sure you're okay."

"So… they did this to me?" Rachel asked, taking over the job of holding the pad to her hand until the bleeding stopped.

"Something about a detox, probably because of the shit they put in you." She shrugged and dropped the bag back on the floor.

"Max… I can't thank you enough." Rachel whispered, once more pulling her knees up to her chest. "If it wasn't for… whatever you did…"

"I wasn't going to let them take you." Max smiled weakly, sitting on the bed beside Rachel. "Chloe would never forgive me if I sat there and did nothing."

"You're… a kid." Rachel said softly. "At most you should only have to call the cops."

"But I have these powers…" Max argued.

"Look at the bruise on your side. Do you honestly think Chloe would want you getting hurt like that? Because I really doubt it." Rachel retorted. "You may be Super, Max, but you're still a small girl." Max finally allowed a real smile to spread across her face, which in turn made Rachel smile. "You have a cute smile." She said. "You should show it more."

"When we get back to Chloe… you'll see it everyday." Max said, quickly wiping a new tear from her eye.

"Which reminds me… you haven't told me your plan. Are we going to call her and tell her to come to San Francisco?" Rachel asked. "I'm sure she got the cash from Frank to fix up the truck."

"That… could fuck up the timeline." Max said sadly. "I… need everything to go as normal." She looked at Rachel who was frowning at her.

"You still haven't told me how you know you haven't already fucked it up. You're keeping secrets." Rachel argued, shaking her head. "I don't like people keeping secrets from me."

"You're one to talk." Max said nastily. "You kept secrets from Chloe and she found out. Think about how she felt. How she's going to feel!"

Rachel rolled over, away from Max and pulled the covers over her shoulder. "I do." She whispered. "Every night."

Max left the girl alone and sat on the floor where she'd laid out a small sleeping bag that she had been sleeping in each night since they had arrived in San Francisco and she'd got them the apartment.

"Max… I love her too." Rachel said softly. "I know I fucked up… But I was trying to put it right when… when it all went so wrong."

"How?" Max asked, watching as Rachel rolled over and looked over the edge of the bed at her.

"I… told Frank to give her the money. I only agreed to go with Nathan to get more money for when we left." She explained slowly. "I wanted to finally give her what I promised, I wanted to do right by the one person who never let me down. I… Max I want to go back and have that chance. So please… tell me why we can't."

"Because… then I'll never see her again." Max answered painfully, closing her eyes as she thought through what she believed. "If she leaves with you, I'll never see her. I'll never have a reason to come back to save you and…"

"Paradox." Rachel nodded, causing Max to look at her once more. "I paid attention in class, even if I was texting Chloe." She smirked. "But I thought you said that when you time travel you take over your younger self?"

"That… is the strange part." Max muttered, pulling the blue highlight in front of her eyes and trying to focus on it. "I don't think I'm my younger self… I think I'm actually here."

"But how do you know?" Rachel asked determinedly.

"If I went missing… my parents would do so much trying to find me. I never went missing, I never caused trouble for them." Max explained. "Nobody misses me right now…" She whispered sadly.

"Chloe always missed you Max. Every day your name comes up in conversation. Either by accident, or she tells me something you used to do…" Rachel smirked. "I was always competing with you."

"And now we're together and she's all alone." Max said, quickly wiping another tear from her eyes.

"Which is why I want to go back." Rachel argued again.

"The last time I played around with my powers I wiped out Arcadia Bay." Max retorted angrily. "We can't fucking risk getting this wrong."

"Okay." Rachel said quietly, forcing Max to look at her again.

"What?" Max asked, surprised.

"Okay… we'll do it your way." Rachel nodded. "I'm not going to keep arguing with a time traveller."

* * *

Max woke up around midday to see the blonde girl stretching on the edge of her bed in just a towel, a scar visible on her left arm and her hair up in a second towel. She looked at Max and smiled softly when she realised she was awake.

"Hey sleepy." Rachel said, placing her hands in her lap.

"How long did I sleep?" Max asked, forcing herself to sit up and wincing as her side hurt.

"Not long. I found your cash stash by the way, going to explain that?" Rachel asked, though without a hint of accusation.

"Oh… yeah… sorry I kind of… forgot." Max smiled sheepishly. "I… kind of swiped a card from somebody after I watched them at an ATM. They didn't know it was missing, so I'd kind of been… stealing."

"You? Stealing? Fucking seriously?" Rachel chuckled.

"We needed cash." Max shrugged. "And I don't have my cards… or my ID…" Then she added quietly. "Or my camera."

"So how have you got away with it?" Rachel asked, starting to dry her hair with the towel.

"I rewind after each withdrawal. Only the bank loses money, and… we get to keep eating." Max said. "The card has been reported stolen though, so we're on our own again. So… I've been stashing it."

"How long for?"

"A couple of days, I didn't think of it to begin with." She shrugged. "Never had to steal to survive."

"You've obviously got some kind of plan for six months, right? You thought this through before saving me?" Rachel looked at her dirty clothes and sighed before getting dressed in them again.

"We'll go and get us some new clothes today." Max said, realising their need for normal necessities now that the chaos of their situation had died down.

"What about where we're staying? Are we living out of motels?"

"No… no. I… rented this place, it took quite a bit of persuading, but in the end flash enough cash and nobody asks questions" She answered, glad she'd at least thought of some kind of plan.

"Nice job." Rachel grinned as she pulled on her small shirt. "Chloe and I made plans for when we left, we'll just… adapt them to suit, right?" She smiled at Max, who could only weakly smile back.

"I still can't believe you're trusting me." Max said shyly.

"Have you ever been saved by your best friend's time travelling girlfriend?" Rachel asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"No." Max answered with a small laugh.

"Well until a few days ago, neither had I. So… we'll wing it. Like Chloe and I do." Rachel grinned.

Max winced as she tried to stand up, sleeping rough on the floor hadn't been helping her bruises to heal. Each day they were feeling worse.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, sounding concerned.

"My side is hurting." She admitted quietly, remaining seated on her sleeping bag.

"You really should let me take a proper look." Rachel said, sliding off the bed and sitting on the floor by Max.

"It's just a bruise." She muttered as Rachel pulled their medical bag from under the bed.

"You've just spent a week looking after me. It's my turn to look after you." The girl said, opening the bag before trying to lift Max's shirt.

Reluctantly Max allowed her to peel her shirt upwards, holding it just below her bra. The bruise was a deep purple and Max could feel the pain as Rachel barely brushed her fingertips over her skin.

"How did you even carry me in here?" Rachel asked, looking into Max's eyes.

"You helped, you were able to walk but you were so out of it. I had to rewind a few times when you tried to run off."

Rachel let out a small laugh. "I'm sorry. I don't remember."

"I'm not surprised… once I got you in here though, you stayed in bed." Max explained as Rachel kept her hand placed to her side, listening to her talk. "I couldn't leave you for very long, or I would have brought you a change of clothes."

"It's fine." Rachel smiled, moving her hand away at last. "I'm really grateful for what you've done for me. I don't want to even imagine where I'd be right now if it wasn't for you."

"Neither do I." Max answered honestly.

"You should sleep in bed tonight. I'll have the sleeping bag." Rachel said, pulling Max's shirt back down. "Otherwise you're not going to heal properly."

"No, you need the rest." She tried to argue, but Rachel only laughed at her.

"I'd say let's share, but I'm guessing you're not as open as Chloe?" The girl smirked playfully.

"I'm not." Max shrugged. "I've only shared a bed with her."

Rachel nodded, a gentle smile pulling at her lips. "Then you're sleeping in the bed tonight."

Max was helped to her feet by Rachel, who was being really gentle with her, like she could fall apart at any moment. It didn't help with how she was feeling, like she was keeping Rachel and Chloe apart, she was a part of the cause for Chloe's pain.

"Let's go shopping, take your mind off… things." Rachel said, her eyes on Max's like she knew something was troubling her.

They took some of Max's ill-gotten cash and left their apartment quietly, Max locked the door behind them and followed Rachel down a small flight of stairs and onto the street. They weren't far from Dolores Park, a decision Max had made to give them somewhere to go while they waited out the months with nothing else to do.

"Don't you have a car or something?" Rachel asked. "I'm certain I remember…"

"I ditched it, while you slept one night. I was… quick." She said quietly, starting down the street in the direction of some shops. "I'd stolen it." She whispered, leaning closer to Rachel to do so.

"You rebel." Rachel smirked, their hands knocking against the other's as they walked.

"It's not been the best week." Max said, watching a couple walk past hand in hand. "I've done things I'm not proud of." She continued, wrapping her arms around herself.

Rachel remained quiet but pulled Max's arms from around her, taking hold of her hand as they walked. "You've done what you had to, nothing more. So don't blame yourself." She said kindly.

When they reached a clothes shop Rachel quickly got to work picking out a new wardrobe for herself, putting clothes back or disappearing into the changing rooms to try something on. Max sat on a small padded stool to wait, unable to think past her memories. For her it had only been a couple of weeks since she and Chloe had been shopping together to replace her own wardrobe, an event that had been full of joy and hope as they looked towards their future together.

Now Max was watching somebody else picking clothes, wishing it was Chloe instead. It was hard to shake the thought that Rachel was a little too happy with her situation, especially after what she'd been through. While Max was glad the girl was trusting her, she wasn't so sure she could trust Rachel yet. The fact she had lied so readily to Chloe in the past gave Max a reason to doubt and mistrust her, even if she hadn't yet lied to her.

"Not picking anything?" Rachel asked, a small pile of clothes over her arm. "You need new clothes too."

"Huh? Oh. I guess I do." Max said, standing up gingerly as the pain in her side returned.

"Want help?" Rachel said, noticing Max wince.

"Yes please." She answered, happy to be dragged around by another girl who had more style than herself.

Rachel didn't disappoint in her rapid selection of clothing for Max, from ripped jeans to punk shirts, she knew exactly what she was looking for. Once more she was reminded of selecting clothes with Chloe and being ordered to try them on, a story she decided to share with Rachel.

"She just wanted to get you into the club, hot punk rock girl. It definitely suits you." Rachel said, eyeing Max's current clothing.

"It's only because I wore your clothes, once, and they suited me." Max laughed.

"The clothes I left in Chloe's wardrobe?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah. She kept them…" Max said, piling the clothes Rachel had chosen for her onto the store counter for the clerk to bill up.

"Wow." Rachel said, looking surprised. "She… really did miss me huh?"

"She still does." She answered, watching the bill slowly increase as Rachel's clothes were added to the total. They were going to be out of money before they even got through a month at the rate they were spending it.

When they returned to their apartment they dropped the bags of clothes on the bed where Max decided to sit down. Rachel disappeared into the bathroom with a change of clothes, apparently in the mood to get into a clean outfit rather than the shirt and shorts she'd been wearing for almost a week. Max would probably follow in her footsteps afterwards and change out of her own week-worn outfit. With everything that had happened she'd had no time to think about cleanliness, even after getting her shower the previous day. The days had blurred into one another as she cared for Rachel, distorting her own perception of time unless she looked at a clock or asked for the time from a stranger.

She was about to get off the bed and look for something to eat when she realised they hadn't been food shopping yet, and what she did have in was only snacks. Instead she walked over to the bathroom door and knocked softly.

"Hey Rach... we need to go food shopping too." She said, hoping she could be heard. She knocked again when she received no response. "Rach?" She called out.

Beginning to worry she tentatively opened the door and saw Rachel sat on the floor, tears pouring down her pretty face. Max was beside her in an instant, wrapping her arms around the girl she'd been caring for. She had no idea what had triggered it but Rachel was sobbing uncontrollably, burying her face into Max's shoulder and holding onto her like her life depended on it. The bruise on Max's back pained her, but she ignored it as best as she could as the blonde girl clung to her, unable to vocalise what was wrong.

They sat together on the bathroom floor until Rachel's tears had turned to dry heaves and she was capable of saying a few words once more.

"Dark... room..." She managed to say between sobs, her head on Max's shoulder.

"It's okay." Max whispered, trying to comfort her. "I... know how it feels." She added, keeping her arms tightly wrapped around Rachel.

"I... I... thought... I... could handle it." Rachel whimpered, pulling away from Max to wipe her eyes on a towel. "But... the light... flickered... and... and..." She let out a deep breath as she tried to stop her uncontrollable sobs.

"You're stronger than them, better than them too." Max said, running her thumb over Rachel's cheek to wipe away a tear she'd missed. "You'll get through it, I promise."

"If... if..." Rachel let out another breath. "If I can't even... have pictures taken... so much for modeling." She said, resting her head on Max's shoulder once again.

"I... we... could always work on that." Max offered, trying to find a positive thing. "I'm an amateur photographer so... we can work on it... in your own time."

Rachel let out a little laugh but didn't move away from Max's embrace. "I... can't face going out again tonight." She said sadly. "I can't..."

"We'll order takeout." Max shrugged.

"How? We don't have a phone... or a laptop... or anything." Rachel said with another laugh.

"Then I'll have to go alone, won't I?" Max said with a smile. "I won't make you go out."

"You're awesome Max." Rachel whispered, a strange look in her hazel eyes.

"Hella awesome?"

Rachel gave a slight smirk and a nod of her head. "Hella awesome..."

* * *

After their first day of excitement and pain, the days rolled by at an unnatural crawl, almost making Max feel as though her powers were acting up again. The truth was they had nothing to do, they only had each other's company and while they had a lot to discuss at first, the topic of Chloe was one neither of them wished to continue to talk about. Max missed her too much, and Rachel clearly felt the same way. Max found herself confiding in the blonde girl about her own experience in the dark room, an attempt to help Rachel realise she wasn't alone with the experience. It appeared to work, Rachel opened up a little bit more in return and wasn't afraid to cry in front of Max when she needed to let her emotions out.

They bought a pre-owned cheap laptop to try to keep up with the news in Arcadia Bay, but with Max's knowledge of the timeline they rarely checked it for news. Max didn't want to see the moment the missing posters started going up and Rachel wanted to disassociate herself with the place as much as possible after her last experience in the town she had been trying to escape from. Max did check for any missing information about herself in Seattle, but found nothing. Confirming her own belief that she had somehow displaced herself into the past, rather than rewinding or consciously planting herself in her younger self. With nothing else to do, Max found herself researching time travel abilities from stories and comics, trying to get a working understanding of her real abilities. Rachel joined her after a while, laughing at some of the names or asking Max to try certain abilities as they read them. Nothing worked except her ability to rewind time, and she wouldn't use a photograph to jump into the past or her ability to see the history of a location, considering her last use of that power dropped her into the past.

Max found herself growing attached to the blonde, enjoying her company more than she thought she would considering what she'd learned about her. They were becoming as Joyce described Chloe and Rachel, joined at the head and where there was one you'd find the other, but Max thought that was probably down to a lack of anybody else to socialise with. By the end of the third week since rescuing Rachel they'd fallen into the trap of falling asleep in the same bed while watching a movie on the laptop. Max would fall asleep first, then wake up with Rachel's blonde hair in her face or her head on the girl's shoulder. Something she found uncomfortable when the thought of Chloe crying herself to sleep alone while the two of them were safe in San Francisco.

Each morning Max would wake up hoping to see Chloe, or hear her voice. Every day she would have to remind herself she wasn't allowed to see her yet. She'd set a calendar up on one of the walls, counting down to the week of the storm and every day afterwards.

"Shall we go to the park today?" Rachel asked as she came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel. "It's nice weather and... I'm getting a little cabin fever."

"Sounds good." Max nodded, closing the laptop and putting it under the bed. "We can get some supplies too while we're out? We can get a little light entertainment while we're out, the cash should last I think."

"Oh? What kind of light entertainment were you thinking Caulfield? Rum? Vodka?" Rachel said with a grin.

"I was going to suggest more movies... or a game or..." She noticed a sadness in Rachel's eyes and finally relented. "Okay, fine... alcohol it is, but if I get carded we're fucked."

"I'll get the booze, you get us a deck of cards or something." Rachel said, picking a change of clothes from the wardrobe.

"You want to play a game... while drinking?" Max said, slipping on her shoes while trying not to watch the blonde get dressed.

"Oh! That reminds me... I haven't done it with you." Rachel smirked as she stood up, a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes.

"Done... what?" Max asked suspiciously.

"Two truths and a lie. I played it with... yeah... when... but I do it with everybody." She avoided saying Chloe's name, and Max understood why.

"I don't lie very well." Max said, shaking her head. "I'd just end up apologising right after I tried."

"Then you can tell me three truths and I'll try to guess which one embarrasses you most." Rachel laughed playfully.

Max stood up and pulled on her hoodie, glancing at Rachel as the blonde pulled on a loose vest top similar to Chloe's. It looked good on the girl, which made her smile at how similar the two of them could be.

"How do I look?" Rachel asked, turning on the spot in her more reserved outfit.

"Like a punk queen." Max said honestly. "I wish I had..." She stopped herself, but Rachel smiled.

"We'll get you a new one, soon. And... we'll work on getting some good shots together, yeah?" Rachel said with a little apprehension in her voice.

"We have to start somewhere, right?" Max smiled, hoping their future would be a little brighter once Chloe was back with them.

"It still... makes me think of that." Rachel admitted, taking hold of Max's hand as they left the apartment together.

"You'll be in control though." She said, releasing Rachel's hand so she could put her hands in her pockets.

They walked down the street towards the park in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't far to the park where they sat down upon a space of grass in the late morning sun, watching the people of San Francisco enjoying their day. Rachel caught the attention of two good looking guys who came over and hung out with them for a little bit. It was different to see Rachel talking to other people, how she asked questions or teased them with her eyes. Max was mesmerized in her own way by the different side to Rachel, almost intimidated by her flirty nature. When one of the guys asked for her number Rachel deflected him with a casual kiss to Max's cheek, almost like saying they were a couple. The guy got the message with a small grin and not long later the two girls were alone again.

"Sorry about that." Rachel whispered. "I just... it's one thing for a laugh but..."

"It's fine." Max replied, watching the two guys laughing in the distance. "Glad I could help." She smirked.

"Chloe and I..." Rachel started to say, then quickly stopped.

"Go on." Max said, lying back on the grass to listen to a story about the girl she missed.

"We used to tease guys like that too." Rachel continued, lying back beside Max. "I'd wind them up, pull them in then... I'd get Chloe to kiss my cheek, or I'd kiss hers... it was so much fun to tease them." She laughed. "Once... just once... they didn't believe us. So I kissed Chloe properly to prove it. She was so fucking shocked."

"But... she was happy, right?" Max asked, turning her head to look at Rachel.

"Yeah, I think so... I hope so." Rachel answered, rolling onto her side and playing with a blade of grass.

Max watched Rachel for a while, noticing the sadness behind her hazel eyes and wishing she could do more for her. Deep down in her heart she wanted to wrap Rachel in her arms and take the pain and hurt away, to carry it for her instead. She shyly reached out and stroked Rachel's blonde hair, noticing the small flinch as she did so, but Rachel soon relaxed into the touch.

"Let's get the booze." Rachel suddenly said, getting to her feet.


	11. Old Habits

Tossing and turning on the sleeping bag, Rachel couldn't sleep. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was all pointless. If Max was telling her the truth, and she had no reason to doubt her, then when they returned to Arcadia Bay in four months Max and Chloe would be together. They would be a couple once more, and Rachel would be the third wheel to their relationship. It was hard to accept, especially when their night together kept playing on her mind. The touch of Chloe's skin, the taste of her lips, it kept swirling around her mind when she started to slip into her depression. The memory of Chloe kept it all at bay but the knowledge that she would never share that again was getting stronger the longer she spent apart from her blue haired girl.

Rather than spend the night rolling around she decided to get up and take a walk. She pulled on a pair of ripped jeans, though she wasn't sure who they belonged to, as well as a blue plaid shirt. She slipped on her black sneakers and carefully left the apartment, the keys in hand.

On the lamplit street she started heading toward the park, walking at a gentle pace as she thought about the last few weeks in Max's company. She'd seen the brown haired girl teleport around their apartment more than once, usually when she was cooking. She always explained what she'd done and had to rewind, putting Rachel at ease that she hadn't just blown up the apartment.

The thought of Chloe always intruded on her mind though, just as it had done in bed. Somewhere in Arcadia Bay the girl was crying herself to sleep, obsessing over the disappearance of a girl who wasn't really missing. Rachel had been tempted more than once to send an e-mail to Chloe, to calm her down and let her know everything would be alright.

She sat on a bench in the park and took in the cool night air, watching some of the other night owls walking across the grass hand in hand, laughing or joking. She knew the park would be closing soon, but she needed the time to clear her head, trying to decide whether hiding in San Francisco was worth it in the end for her. There was nothing for her to go back to in Arcadia Bay, she was finally free of the place she had longed to escape. As long as she didn't destroy Max's ideal future she could go wherever she wanted, do anything she wanted.

Noticing a couple of young ladies growing closer she couldn't help but watch their carefree attitude, reminding her of the months with Chloe in Arcadia. Despite their own troubles at home they had found comfort in their friendship, growing closer and tighter as trouble tried to invade their space. The culmination of their friendship jumped to the front of her mind and brought another tear to her eye.

"Hey" One of the girls said, sitting on the bench beside her. "You look upset. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Rachel replied, smiling at the girl as she wiped the tear away. "Been a long week, I'll be fine." She lied, looking at the girl's friend some distance away.

"You live around here?" The girl asked.

"Yeah, not too far, moved in about a month ago." She said, noticing how the light played on the girl's blonde and pink hair.

"I'm Kelly, that's Brooke." The girl said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb. "Locals too." Rachel could only smile at the information. "Well… hope your week gets better." Kelly said, standing up and giving a soft shrug to her friend.

"Maybe we'll bump into each other again." Rachel said, trying not to sound rude.

"Definitely." Kelly said. "In fact…" She pulled her friend over and pulled a piece of paper from the bag Brooke was wearing. "My number. In case you wanna chat." The girl said kindly.

Rachel looked at the paper and realised it was a poster with a list of bands, as well as a number at the bottom. "Is this tonight?" She asked, checking the date,

"You know it." Kelly grinned, putting some excess posters back into her friends bag.

"We were handing these out for the last hour." Brooke shrugged. "Trying to get some interest, ya know?"

"You should come, if you haven't got anywhere else to be." Kelly said, taking hold of Brooke's hand.

Rachel looked at the poster in her hands for a moment, debating with herself over whether to go back to the apartment or to cut loose and chill out with some new people. She thought of the girl currently asleep who would wake up and panic if she wasn't there, but she had been torn before coming out, wondering whether to continue as she was or finally live her life as long as it didn't impact Max or Chloe.

"Sure… I've got nothing else to do." She smiled.

"Yay!" Kelly said with a smile and a laugh. "Come on then, you'll love it!" She said, releasing Brooke's hand to take hold of Rachel's, pulling her to her feet.

"You haven't told us your name." Brooke said as she took hold of Kelly's free hand.

"I'm Rachel." She answered. "It's nice to meet you both."

When she arrived at the venue with the two girls she was glad to see it didn't have a bouncer on the door, nobody trying to ID them. It was a party that had been put together with a location being announced at the last minute. She followed the two girls inside and was passed a drink by Kelly almost immediately. The girl noticed her hesitation and took a drink from straw to prove it wasn't spiked.

"Come on babe, chill out!" Kelly shouted over the loud music. "You're in good hands!"

"I'm going to see if Jen's here!" Brooke shouted, taking her own drink with her.

"Jen?" Rachel asked.

"Another friend, you'll love her!" Kelly grinned, elbowing a path for them through the crowd.

Rachel stayed close to her new friend, laughing at their jokes and telling her own in turn. The stress and depression was washing off her, she could be her normal self once again, relaxed and upbeat about life. Nobody knew her past, there were no expectations on her to act or be a certain way, it was a liberating feeling.

When she met the girl called Jen she was surprised to see she had shaved her head on the right side with a single blonde highlight at the front of her long black hair. She almost felt like she'd found a kindred spirit once more, laughing and joking with the girl who was only a little older than her.

Her drink empty she placed it on the side, only for Kelly to come wading through the crowd with refills. Drink after drink she emptied, happily having a good time with the girls who had almost literally picked her up off the streets. She'd started dancing closer to Jen, feeling the girl's breath on her neck, smell the girl's perfume in her nose. The alcohol had taken its toll on her but she was very much aware as the girl's lips pressed against her own and she willingly kissed her back.

"Get a room you two." She heard Kelly laugh from nearby.

"We might… this girl is hot as fuck." Jen smirked, her hands on Rachel's hips.

"You're pretty hot yourself." Rachel grinned, placing her own hands on the taller girl's shoulders as they continued to dance to the music. She didn't know if it was the alcohol talking or her desire for somebody to look at her in such a way again.

She shared a few more kisses with the dark haired girl, lost in the moment and glad to be away from the chaos of her own mind. It was the kind of release she'd always needed in Arcadia Bay, something Chloe had been so good at doing to begin with. The thought of Chloe put a damper on her night almost immediately, it brought forth the image of Max panicking as she realised Rachel wasn't in the apartment.

"I need to get back." She said quietly to Jen. "My roommate is going to be losing her mind otherwise."

"I'll walk you home." Jen said with a gentle nod. "Kelly! I'll see you at home!" She shouted across the dance floor.

They left the party behind them, returning to the quiet San Francisco streets. Jen kept a tight grip on Rachel's waist, talking openly about her friendship with Kelly and Brooke and the fact they lived together. She realised they were getting closer to her apartment with Max and wondered if the time traveler was awake and worrying about her.

"I hope I see you again." Jen said as they came to a stop at the end of the street, taking hold of Rachel's hands.

"Maybe…" Rachel grinned, taking a moment to look into her blue eyes. "It's nice to get out a bit. We don't have much cash so… this was really nice. I'm really…"

Jen silenced her thanks with a sweet kiss, which she returned without complaint.

"Thank Kelly for me…" Rachel managed to breathe as their kiss parted, leaving her wanting more but knowing she had to get back to Max.

"Don't be a stranger." Jen smiled as she released Rachel and gave a small wave.

Hurrying down the street and up the stairs to their apartment she unlocked the door and peeked quickly inside. Entering the room she noticed the pile of covers on the bed where Max still slept. Something about her face made Rachel pause, an innocence that she'd seen only in Chloe, something deep below the surface that had drawn her to the punk girl originally.

She crept into the bathroom and turned on the shower, stripping out of her clothes which now smelled of smoke, and stepped under the warm water. She knew how secretive she was being, but she didn't want Max causing a fuss over one night out. The dark haired girl was on her mind, her beautiful face framed by her locks, and the one highlight at the front that she found so cute. Leaning against the tiled wall she thought of what she could be doing instead of getting a shower, the idea of having another body pressed against her own. It had been months since she'd felt that way, aroused by the thought of sex after what she'd been through but it was on her mind now.

Closing her eyes she thought of Jen as she slowly moved her right hand down her naked body, trying to imagine what the girl looked like beneath her punk clothes. She bit her bottom lip as she touched herself, grabbing her breast with her other hand as she tried to imagine the scene in her head. Jen's body against her own, kissing her lips, feeling the girls fingers on her own body.

Then Max intruded on her thoughts but her arousement remained, she continued the touch as she imagined the brunette girl walking in on her and joining her in the shower, but had no idea why it turned her on so much. There was something about the idea of Max caressing her breasts that teased her perverted mind, to be able to see Max's blue eyes as she kissed her way down her body to kneel on the floor of the shower before her.

Her breathing became heavier and a small hiss escaped her lips as her mental image tipped her over the edge, giving her the release she'd missed.

* * *

In the morning she woke to the gentle clanging of cutlery and the birdsong beyond the window. The smell of the food being cooked woke her senses and she sat up to look over the bed at Max who was busy in the kitchen. The small girl hadn't even dressed, wearing just a pair of shorts and a baggy shirt as she moved about the small kitchen area.

Rather than alert the girl to her being awake, she lay back down on the sleeping bag and looked over at the small dining table where they kept the laptop. The wall beside it was adorned with pictures of Max and Rachel in the park, as well as some of Rachel's sketches she'd been working on since they'd bought her an artpad and pencils. The laptop had been cleared away and the table set for breakfast, the first time it had ever happened since she'd woken up in the small girl's care.

At first she'd been so glad to sneak out of the apartment, but seeing the effort Max was going to for the morning made her feel a little guilty. It made her wonder what would have happened if she'd gone home with the girl she'd met instead of returning to Max. Would she have tried rewinding time over and over again to find her? Use one of the photo jumps she'd mentioned during her story?

She got off the sleeping bag and stretched, smiling at Max when the girl saw her.

"Morning." Max said with a smile of her own, taking a glass out of a cupboard. "Sleep okay?"

"Yeah, for once." Rachel lied, instantly feeling guilty again. "What's the occasion?" She asked, indicating the table.

"Figured I'd… try doing something nice for you, for once." Max shrugged, taking a carton of orange juice out of the fridge and pouring a drink.

"You always do something nice for me." She retorted, taking the drink as Max offered it to her.

"I bitch and moan at you to clean up your shit." Max laughed playfully, turning back to the stove. "That's not something nice."

"But you're right, I do turn into a bit of a slob sometimes." Rachel grinned, leaning on the counter to watch the small girl cook.

"Get the plates out please?" Max asked, which Rachel was more than happy to do considering the girl was cooking for her.

She laid the plates out on the side as Max flipped the first pancake. Between them they made a few more, laughing when one of them failed to get a flip right but Max never used her powers to correct the mistake. They were having too much fun, even when Max placed a finger in the batter and poked Rachel's nose playfully.

When they finally sat down at the table to eat they were both wearing some of the batter on their faces or in their hair. Max kept grinning over her meal because she'd given Rachel a smiley face on the left side of her face.

"Dibs on getting a shower first." Max quickly said as she finished her pancakes.

"There's no dibs in this apartment." Rachel argued. "There's first come, first serve…" She laughed, trying to get out of her seat first and into the bathroom.

Max was closer but she pulled her back by the shoulder, trying to get ahead of her but Max was sneaky, she suddenly appeared slightly further ahead of Rachel, already slipping into the bathroom with a cheeky grin.

"Cheat." Rachel groaned as the door clicked shut.

While Max had her shower Rachel kept herself busy by cleaning away the plates and cooking utensils Max had used. It had been a strange morning so far, Max hadn't cooked for her in the two months they'd lived together, they'd never even played like they did. They were normally more serious, more reserved with each other, and the photographs on the wall showed that. They weren't really smiling in any of them, just existing. They had the pictures but not the memories. It was why she had felt the way she did the night before, why she needed to feel something more again.

Max came out of the bathroom with a towel around her chest and her dirty laundry in her hands. "It's free now." She smirked as she walked past the kitchen area.

Rachel wasted no time in getting into the bathroom to clean off the batter. She didn't take long in the shower, having cleaned up that night after coming back, and was soon getting dressed for the day, unsure of what they were going to do with themselves.

"So…" Max said, sitting on the bed in her black jeans and blue shirt, her hoodie across her lap. "We're gonna go out today." She continued as Rachel pulled her own blue shirt over her head.

"Where to?" She asked, unsure she liked where this was going.

"Well… I figured we'd go downtown, spend a bit of time in some parks, museums… maybe spend a little money… and then we'd go to the Palace Theatre and watch a show tonight." Max smiled shyly. "Rather than… doing nothing on a nice day."

"Can we afford it in your grand plan?" Rachel asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"If you don't want to go that's fine." Max sounded sad. "I'll… think of something else."

"No. No Max. I'd like to go, it sounds like fun." She said, sitting on the bed beside the girl, torn between taking her hand or keeping some distance. "It sounds like a date." She said cheerfully nudging Max in the side.

"Not a date just... " Max mumbled, making Rachel laugh.

"It's okay, I was only teasing." Rachel grinned, taking hold of the girl's hand. "So… when are we leaving?"

"Whenever you're ready." Max said, looking at Rachel with a smile on her face.

Rachel stood up and picked up Max's small messenger bag that the girl had insisted on buying for her second hand camera, then held it out for Max to put on. Max pulled on her hoodie then accept the help with her bag, a small smile on the girl's sweet face as they took hold of each other's hands when they left their apartment for the day, a plan in mind to explore the city and stop hiding from the world.

* * *

When they got home late that night Rachel was exhausted. They had a couple of bags of souvenirs but the greatest part was the collection of pictures Max had managed to take of them across the city. The young photographer was already laying them out on the table and replacing old pictures with new ones, even in the artificial lamp light. Rachel collapsed on the bed and watched Max work, giving her opinion on pictures as she presented them to her.

It really had been something to see when Max was in her element, perfectly trying to line up her shots and taking the best pictures she could, sometimes twice because she didn't like something the first time. Max eventually joined her on the bed to admire their art wall, the collection of colours and sketches mixed together to form a pretty pattern with no discernible shape.

"You need to get your work out there." Rachel said, placing her head on Max's shoulder as she would have done with Chloe.

"In a few months… I'll have an entire portfolio." Max laughed, tilting her own head to rest against Rachel's.

"Seriously, you've got an amazing eye." She whispered, the blue of the sea in some of the pictures catching her eye. "Especially for blues." She noted.

"I… can't help it. I see the blue and think of Chloe…" Max admitted quietly. "The wait is killing me."

"I know." She said, thinking of her own wait. Waiting for an unknown future, a future without Chloe how she wanted her. She sighed sadly and felt Max's arm slip around her back, comforting her ever so slightly.

"But having an awesome model helps." Max said, quickly steering the topic away from Chloe. "You shouldn't give up that dream, ever." She added.

"It's different with you… you're not ordering me around." She replied, thinking of how it felt to model for Max. "You just kind of… capture who I am. Like you can see into my soul."

Max laughed quietly and shook her head. "I'm not that good… you're just extremely talented." She argued. "Half the time I feel like I'm trying to keep up with you."

"Nobody can keep up with me." Rachel said quietly, staring past their photo wall and trying to decide what to do.

"I'll keep trying." Max said gently. "Even if I have to rewind time to get ahead of you."

She let out a small laugh at the thought and nodded. "I like the sound of that. Maybe you're the one person who can keep up with me."

"Would you complain if I could?" The brunette girl asked, giving Rachel something else to think about.

"Maybe… if I didn't get to keep you." She said off hand, trying to gauge Max's reaction.

"I'll always be your friend Rach. Best friend even."

 _Fuck…_ Rachel thought to herself before rolling away from Max slightly. "I'm tired… I think I need sleep." She said gently, trying not to sound rude.

"It's my turn for the sleeping bag anyway." Max said, placing a sweet kiss on Rachel's forehead.

"You can share if you want…" She said quickly, trying to make it sound like a reasonable offer. "We know each other well enough by now and… I promise I don't bite."

"My bruises are mostly healed now…" Max was already moving away from Rachel, but she heard what she hoped was the hesitation in her voice. "It's fine." She added. "You get your sleep."

* * *

It had been a week since their wonderful day together, a week since Rachel had slipped out of the apartment at night. Now she'd done it again, meeting up with Kelly in the park after sending the girl a text on a phone they'd bought in preparation for their return to Arcadia Bay. Jen was with Kelly when they met up and greeted Rachel with a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Hey babe, how are you?" Kelly said, giving Rachel a warm hug.

"I'm good." Rachel grinned, taking hold of Jen's hand. "Where we going tonight?"

"Back to ours, we hadn't really made plans but when you text… we made exceptions." Jen smiled kindly. "I didn't think we'd hear from you again."

"You told me not to be a stranger." Rachel laughed as the two girls led the way across the park in the opposite direction to her apartment with Max.

"I'm glad you're not." Kelly grinned.

"Where's Brooke?" Rachel asked curiously.

"Working tonight, it's why we didn't have plans." Jen explained. "So we were going to chill with a few beers and watch shit on TV. I hope you weren't expecting another raving party?"

"Chilling sounds good right now." She admitted quietly, needing a way to ignore how she was feeling. "So you're all roommates?" She asked, trying to get to know the girls better.

"Brooke and I are dating." Kelly said quickly. "I've known her since high school. Started dating then, still dating now."

"I'm the unfortunate roommate who has to soundproof my room." Jen laughed, receiving a playful punch in the arm from Kelly.

"Jen went to high school with us too, but she could never be tied down." Kelly smirked as they turned down a street.

"I prefer to be tied up." Jen whispered in Rachel's ear.

"You should have brought your roommate out." Kelly said suddenly. "You mentioned her to Jen last time." She explained when Rachel must have looked confused.

"She's… a bit more conservative." She said, thinking of what Max might say. "Not a party girl like me. She keeps the bills paid though."

"Somebody has to." Jen laughed, slowing down to allow Kelly to unlock the door to what must be their home.

"Welcome to our humble abode." Kelly joked as they entered the small home. "My parents pay my share… because I'm a lowlife dead beat with rich parents."

"She's kidding." Jen whispered as she passed Rachel and slouched onto the couch, kicking her sneakers off and flinging them back towards the door.

"Take a load off babe, we don't bite." Kelly said, disappearing through a door into what appeared to be the kitchen.

Rachel took the advice and sat down beside Jen, kicking her own sneakers off and leaving them under the coffee table in the centre of the room. It gave her a moment to look around their home. It wasn't quite what she'd expected, it was homely, well kept and had a number of high tech pieces of gear near the TV. A staircase in front of the front door lead up to what she assumed would be the bedrooms and bathroom, though she figured she would get the grand tour or something at some point.

"So where you from?" Jen asked, placing her arm on the back of the couch. "I never actually got to ask you."

"Originally… Long Beach." Rachel said with a smirk. "I say hella a lot when I like something."

"Oh… that's better than babe." Jen smirked, receiving a gentle pat to the back of the head as Kelly returned, offering Rachel one of the beers which she took thankfully.

"You used to love it when I called you babe." Kelly joked, handing Jen a bottle as well.

"Live with it for three years, you'll change your mind." Jen argued, clinking her bottle to Rachel's before they both took a swig. Kelly sat in an armed chair next to the couch, pulling her legs up beneath her like Rachel would do.

Rachel couldn't help but watch the subtle nuances of the girl she was sat by. The way she would flick her hair over her head so it hung on the side that wasn't shaved short, the roaming eyes when she looked at Rachel and the tapping on the bottle with the ring she wore on her right index finger.

"So how come you're in San Fran if you're from LA?" Kelly asked, obviously having heard the earlier answer.

"Hiding out." Rachel smirked, watching their faces fall. "Nah, I'm kidding. My roommate wants to be a photographer and is building her portfolio. I'm her wonderful assistant and live in model." She said, mixing the truth with a lie.

"You're a model?" Kelly asked, lowering the bottle from her lips.

"I fucking told you she was too hot to be a waitress!" Jen laughed, slapping Kelly's knee.

"You just lost me twenty bucks." Kelly smirked, finally taking a swig from her beer.

"Sorry!" Rachel smirked.

One bottle after another was drained as they all talked, sharing stories and laughing at bad jokes as the night progressed. Brooke walked in around two in the morning, took one look at the three girls giggling on the couch and went straight up to bed, too far behind to catch up to the party.

Rachel knew she should go home to Max, to make sure the girl didn't worry in the morning but after finishing off another bottle she found herself leaning against the arm of the couch, her left leg behind Jen's back her right over the girl's knees as she admired the dragon tattoo Chloe had sketched so long ago before a tattoo artist made it permanent.

"A very good friend of mine designed that." She explained happily as Kelly handed her another beer bottle. "She is a fucking awesome artist."

"So you know an artist, a photographer and you're a fucking model?" Jen said, shaking her head. "Hit the fucking trifecta meeting you."

"I'm going to head up to Brooke." Kelly said quietly, kissing Jen on the cheek. "I… need some attention of my own." She winked at Rachel. "You can stay if you want!"

"Thanks." Rachel said as the pink and blonde haired girl disappeared up the stairs.

"Wanna stay a little longer?" Jen asked quietly.

"Mhm." Rachel grinned, taking a sip from the bottle as the girl ran a hand up her leg. "Chloe used to do that too." She added, laughing at how open she was being.

"Oh she was that kind of friend?" Jen smirked, continuing to caress her leg.

"Once upon a time." She answered, enjoying the touch of another person. "She likes my roommate more. They're… kind of a thing."

"Kind of?" Jen asked, sipping on her beer as they spoke.

"They keep fucking dancing around each other… need the time to just get their shit together and be a couple." She explained poorly, avoiding the topic of time travel.

"So… you gave her up for your roommate?" Jen whispered as there was a bump upstairs, which neither of them paid much attention to.

"Kind of, sort of…" She felt the alcohol having an effect on her head and didn't know how to explain it coherently, how to describe how she was feeling, especially to somebody that was still like a stranger to her and very interested in her legs.

"Come on, spill the beans." Jen smirked. Rachel laughed at her choice of words, thinking of the asshole of a drug dealer she used to date who liked his beans.

"When we moved here… I didn't think much of my roommate. Wallflower, boring as fuck but… she loves my best friend and she's a photographer, so why not, right?" She said carefully, trying to still mix some lies with the truth. "And now it's been two months and…"

"You fucking like her too." Jen grinned, catching on quickly.

"I just want to forget her. Both of them." Rachel admitted quietly. She noticed Jen was still looking at her with her pretty eyes, caressing her leg gently and generally being a tease.

"Do they like you?" Jen asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I don't fucking know… Chloe and I fucked before we left and… Max and I have never… not even close." She said, thinking of her fantasy in the shower.

"Sounds like Chloe likes you, if she fucked you when wanting to be with Max." Jen said.

"That's… a really hard thing to explain." She sighed, feeling Jen's hands on her thighs and wiggled down the couch slightly so the girl could touch a little higher, resting her head on the arm of the couch.

"Try me." The girl whispered, turning so her own back was against her arm of the couch, her legs crossed so Rachel could keep her own either side of the enticing dark haired girl.

She was torn between opening up about how she felt, or burying it deep down and ignoring it existed. Taking one last sip from her beer she put the bottle on the floor beside the couch, sat up and placed her lips to Jen's, deciding to get lost in the moment and ignore how she was feeling. There was nothing she could do about how she felt anyway.


	12. Emotional Turmoil

Opening her eyes slowly Max was pained to see she was in bed alone again, there was no Chloe to brighten her mornings. It was a torture every day, hoping the person she loved would be alongside her. She remained in bed, thinking about what she would say when she finally got to see Chloe again. All of the apologies she would have to give after leaving her to her pain for six months again.

As she reached for the phone she had buried beneath her pillow she saw Rachel sit up and start to stretch, drawing her eyes to the girl she'd been taking pictures of almost daily for the last few weeks since their trip out together. Rachel quietly moved out of Max's vision towards the bathroom, where Max heard the distinctive click of the lock.

She rolled onto her back and sighed. After their trip out she'd started looking at Rachel more, thinking about her in ways she didn't want to because of how she felt about Chloe. But after almost three months living with Rachel and not getting to see or speak to Chloe it was having an effect on her emotions. She yearned for Chloe, a deep need to be with her again, but at night as she fell asleep trying to imagine Chloe's smile and her blue hair she sometimes found herself thinking about Rachel, about rolling off the bed and cuddling into the blonde haired girl for comfort. It was driving her insane, she was happy with Chloe so she couldn't understand where the attraction to somebody else was coming from.

The lock on the bathroom clicked once more and Rachel returned, a toothbrush still in her mouth as she looked in the wardrobe for some clothes. She turned around, glancing at Max and realised she was awake.

"Mornin'." Rachel mumbled as she took the toothbrush out of her mouth. "Ba' in a mi'ute." She laughed, returning to the bathroom but leaving the door open this time.

Max laughed and waited as she heard the girl rinse after brushing her teeth and return to the bedroom in a change of underwear.

"I didn't know you were awake." She said, snatching up a pair of jeans off the floor and pulling them on, wiggling her ass to make sure they were a firm fit. "You okay?"

"Mhm." Max said, rolling onto her side towards Rachel as the blonde haired girl sat down on the edge of the bed. "It's your birthday tomorrow." She said, noticing the calendar on the wall with all of the crossed out days.

"Shit… I didn't realise." Rachel said, sliding up the bed to sit a little closer to Max. "I hope you got me something?" She teased.

"Well… I got you an apartment." Max smirked, trying to be playful.

"That's definitely a good start. Did it come with a pretty little brunette for one night only?" Rachel said playfully.

"Technically… I think it's more than one night." Max said, resting her head on her arm. "I'll try to think of something for us to do." She smiled.

"Does that mean you're hogging the laptop today?"

"For a little bit. You didn't need it did you?" She asked, glancing at Rachel's eyes and noticing the girl was also watching her.

"All yours, I figured I'd go out to the park and draw some more sketches. If you want to join me… I won't say no."

"I'll join you there?" She said, wanting a little time to make sure she made a good plan for Rachel's birthday.

"Okay. I'll have my phone on me." Rachel said with a gentle nod, getting off the bed and removing her nightshirt as she walked over to the wardrobe and began looking through the clean clothes.

Max climbed out of bed and snatched up her own pair of jeans off the floor, as well as fresh underwear before going into the bathroom to change. When she returned to the bedroom she saw Rachel was ready to go with Max's camera bag over her shoulder.

"Think it suits me?" Rachel asked, turning on the spot.

"Hella awesome." Max smiled. "But why are you taking my camera?"

"I put all my sketching kit in the bag, and figured you'd be along soon anyway." She shrugged. "Is that okay?"

"It's fine." Max said, sitting at the dining table and flicking on the laptop.

"Alright… well don't be long okay?"

Rachel left her alone in the apartment for the first time ever, giving her a moment of panic as she wondered if the blonde girl would be okay. Max had become used to Rachel's constant presence, even Chloe's constant presence, that being alone after all those months made her feel a little uncomfortable with herself.

She focused on getting her task done, opening a number of windows on the laptop, one for Rachel's birthday, the other for her money making scheme. She'd been hiding it from Rachel, but she'd been gambling to keep their cash balance positive. Once a day she would watch the most recent results for something, rewind time and place her bet. It made her feel horrible for cheating, but she wanted to provide something more than the bare minimum they'd have been on otherwise.

Finished with her jobs on the computer and happy with what she had planned for Rachel's birthday she cleaned her nose in the bathroom mirror, aware of the pressure she had put on her body to complete the amount of rewinds she had done to secure their finances for a few more weeks. She couldn't do it all at once without risking it being flagged, something she'd learned the first time she'd tried.

She pulled on a black zip up hoodie before leaving the apartment, checking she had her phone in her pocket. Satisfied, she locked the door behind her as she left and rushed over to the park.

Spotting Rachel on a small blanket on the grass she slowly approached, noticing two other girls who were sat talking with her. She thought nothing of it, some of the people of San Francisco could be really friendly, especially if they saw you around the area a lot.

"Hey Max." Rachel said, leaning back and placing a hand over her eyes to look up at her. "This is Kelly and Brooke." She continued, introducing the two girls who were with her.

"Hi." Max said with a polite wave.

"Oh she's a cutie." Brooke said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Max, excuse my girlfriend she eyes up everybody we meet." Kelly laughed, moving aside so Max had space to sit down beside Rachel.

"We'd better get going anyway." Brooke said, nudging Kelly. "Things to do today."

"You're right." Kelly said, climbing to her feet. "Nice to meet you Max, I hope you both come to the party tonight!" She shouted as Brooke led her away from them.

"Have we met them before?" Max asked, watching them go.

"I think so, they're really friendly." Rachel shrugged, placing her sketch pad back on her knees. "But I don't think I want to go out tonight." She said, taking one of the pencils out of Max's bag.

"You sure? It is going to be your birthday tomorrow." She said, thinking it may do them both some good to cut loose for a night.

"And have a hangover on the day? That's the wrong way around." Rachel laughed, applying the pencil to the page and continuing her drawing.

Max leaned a little bit closer to watch her work, appreciating the gentle strokes and careful precision. She could smell Rachel's perfume, one of the few luxuries the girl insisted on buying when they could. Rachel subtly moved a little closer to Max, giving her a better view of her work.

"You'd make an awesome artist if you don't want to model anymore." She whispered into her ear.

"It helps being able to design a dress I'd like to wear." Rachel smirked, erasing an error before continuing. "When you have time to kill, you find something to do."

"Give me a camera any day." Max said softly, comfortable beside Rachel as she worked. "Something between me and my subject."

"It's in the bag if you want it… I'm sure some people would let you take their pictures?" Rachel offered, turning her head to look at Max and almost bumping their heads together. Their noses almost touched, their eyes locked on each other but Max felt uncomfortable and sat back slowly, shaking her head.

"I'm not feeling it today." She said, her heartbeat pounding in her chest.

"You know with your… gifts… I bet you could get away with anything if you wanted to." Rachel said, resting her hands on her sketch pad. "You could make a move on somebody and they'd never know."

Max smirked and nodded. "Chloe teased me about that once. She said… I could make a move on her and she'd never know, maybe I already had?" She laughed at the memory of that day, a day that was approaching. "I hadn't… I kind of wish I had now." She muttered quietly.

Rachel slipped an arm around Max's waist and pulled her into a gentle hug. "We're almost halfway there." She whispered, placing her head to Max's. "We just… need to stay strong."

There was something in the touch that once again scared her, something about the way she leaned into the blonde girl that she shouldn't do. She closed her eyes, trying to ease her mind. Listening to the crowds around the park as a source of distraction.

"I think I'll try to get some shots." She said, gently pulling herself away from Rachel and taking her camera when it was offered.

While she had her camera she didn't take any pictures as she walked across the park, trying to put a little distance between her and Rachel. She sighed as she sat on a bench that had just become free, wondering if the day she had planned for the following day could be misinterpreted as another date. There was no way for her to answer that, she'd thought their last trip was normal and Rachel had thrown in the tease that it was a date. Max didn't want to break Chloe's heart, didn't want to destroy her life after they'd just helped her get past so much. She felt like such a shitty girlfriend, having feelings for her girlfriend's best friend.

Hanging her head in shame she didn't realise Rachel had walked over to her until she sat beside her.

"What's up Max?" She asked gently, putting an arm over her shoulders.

"Missing Chloe. Feeling shitty for it all." She said honestly, leaning into the contact. "I know you're sick of hearing it, but I really miss her."

"I know." Rachel sighed, squeezing Max's shoulders as she pulled her closer. "One day at a time, right? Tomorrow we'll… do whatever you have planned for me and then… we'll just take it one day at a time."

Max smiled and nodded, appreciating the advice the girl was trying to give her. "Sounds like a plan." She said quietly.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Rachel had first slept with Jen. She'd only seen the girl twice since that night but it always ended the same way, a few drinks with Kelly and Brooke and then a night of passion with Jen to erase her thoughts for a short time of Max and Chloe.

There were no emotions involved in her dalliances with Jen, it was merely a physical act, a way to escape her chaotic emotional state and the girl knew that. There was no mention of the 'L' word and Jen hadn't text her constantly asking if they were getting together. Rachel could text in the middle of the night and Jen would meet her in the park, a comforting shoulder to lean on when her emotions were overwhelming her.

Although she had told Max she didn't want to go to the party, she'd snuck out to go anyway, meeting the girls near the park as they'd agreed earlier in the day. She needed this time for herself, away from the chaos of emotions Max brought to her life. It was her time to cut loose and lose herself in something else for a while.

She'd partied with the girls for a couple of hours until she was happily buzzed, then grabbed the ever willing Jen and pulled her into a passionate kiss until the girl agreed to take her home again.

Rachel lay in the girl's bed, a bottle of beer clutched in her hand as Jen gently traced a circle with her finger on her collarbone.

"She's still on your mind, isn't she?" Jen asked softly.

"Yeah." Rachel answered, looking at the dark sky beyond the open window. "It feels like it's getting worse." She admitted quietly, turning her head to look at Jen who smiled at her softly.

"You need to stop running from it, confront it." Jen said, kissing her shoulder gently. "Take it from me."

"How? They're practically destined to be together." Rachel argued, unsure that she wanted to have this conversation again.

"Says who?" Jen laughed.

"Fate…" Rachel said off hand. "The fucking universe…"

"Fuck 'em. We make our own fate Rach."

"But… what…" Rach sighed and placed her bottle on the bedside table. "What if… I like them both?" She said, rolling onto her side to face Jen better.

"You don't choose who you fall in love with." Jen whispered with a small smirk on her face. "Max does one thing for you, Chloe another… and it sounds like Chloe likes you too, from what you have told me."

"But they're the couple, they're madly in love with each other." Rachel argued, retracing the steps she'd walked in her mind, the same arguments she'd had with herself. "There's no future with me in their lives like that." She sighed, placing her head against Jen's.

"You're living with Max… where's Chloe now?" Jen asked gently, stroking Rachel's hair out of her eyes.

"In a different state… we're going up to meet her in a few months." She said, once again trying not to let on to the whole truth.

"Sounds to me like you're a big part of their lives." Jen said, kissing Rachel's head sweetly. "Maybe you should tell them how you're feeling… maybe they feel the same way about you. If they do… well that's up to the three of you. I'm not going to judge." She grinned playfully.

"You make it sound so simple." Rachel laughed, trying to imagine how that conversation would go.

 _Hey Chloe, I didn't die after all and I think I love you both… wanna go to bed?_ It sounded so stupid in her head, and it would never be that simple, especially after what she'd done across the girl, the things she'd never told her.

"Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't." Jen shrugged. "Sometimes… you just have to take the plunge and hope it pays off."

"And if it doesn't?" Rachel said. "What do I do then?"

"Well… I have space in my bed for a hot girl." Jen smirked playfully. "You can stay with us until you get things sorted out and decide what you want to do."

"You hardly know me." She argued, shaking her head.

"Yet you keep coming back for more." Jen smiled, leaning back in the bed to look at Rachel. "Rach… you can't keep running from the problem. You're just gonna have to turn around and face it."

Rather than talk anymore she snuggled into the dark haired girl she lay in bed with, appreciating the comfort of somebody who wasn't judging how she was feeling. Soon she would have to return to her apartment and sneak in without Max catching her, but until then she had the time to allow her mind to run free. Jen was gently stroking her back, a caring person in her world of chaos.

"You… won't hate me if we never do this again, will you?" She asked quietly.

"Course not." Jen laughed. "I told you, I only like being tied up. If you end up with those two girls you love, I'm not going to come over all stalkerish and complain. I'd at least like to meet them though." She grinned. "Find out who is just so awesome that they could tie you down."

Rachel couldn't help but smile at the thought of Chloe and Max meeting Jen, even if it was awkward at first. She'd only known her for a couple of weeks but it was a friendship she hoped would persist, even if they never got to return to San Francisco after getting Chloe from Arcadia Bay.

As the girl's fingers stroked her back so sweetly she felt the need for sleep finally overtaking her senses, something she'd been trying to hold off for as long as possible, for as much time to escape from her problems.

* * *

Max paced the apartment with their other phone in hand, torn between texting or calling the girl that had disappeared in the middle of the night. She'd woken up to get a glass of water and found the sleeping bag empty. Waiting an hour to see if Rachel had merely gone for a walk she'd started to worry about her when she hadn't returned in four hours. She opened her camera bag and took out her emergency selfie, the one she would take each night in the bathroom before going to bed. It had become a reassuring thought to have an emergency picture in case things went wrong, especially in a place where she could leave herself a message.

She took a deep breath and looked at the photograph, the sadness in her eyes as she had to take a picture not for the pleasure of it but for the necessity. She'd wished she'd never had to go to such measures to protect Rachel or the timeline, but she had made a promise to Chloe.

As she prepared to do her first photo jump since the week of the storm the apartment door opened and all thoughts of time travel were struck from her mind. Rachel froze in the doorway, her eyes on Max who was in turn looking at the blonde girl with anger and annoyance.

"Max…" Rachel said, quietly closing the door behind her.

"You've been sneaking out." Max said, shaking her head as she placed the picture back in her bag.

"I needed the fresh air." Rachel responded quietly. "I was safe, I kept my phone on." She continued, taking the phone out of her pocket and showing her.

"But why not wake me? I was losing my mind." Max argued, thinking of all the things she had planned to say.

"I just… needed some time to myself." The blonde girl shrugged, walking across the room and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Max did something she never thought she would do and snatched the phone from her hands.

"Oh so now you're going to snoop through my shit?" Rachel yelled, trying to take the phone back.

"Who's Jen?" Max said, tossing the phone back to her.

"A friend." Rachel replied, pocketing the phone and sitting back down.

"But you weren't alone… which means you lied to me already." Max growled, shaking her head as she tried to think about what to do.

"We are always together Max, I need some space too. I need to live. I can't be staying in this fucking apartment waiting for the right time to leave."

"We don't know how…"

"It'll affect the timeline, right. We have to do nothing and wait." Rachel shouted. "But then when we catch up to the time you left, what about me? I had no future in that timeline Max, I don't know what happened to me but it wasn't fucking pretty!"

"You'll be with your friends, you'll be safe!" Max yelled back, struggling to understand why this was such a bad thing.

"Great… safe… with what future? You and Chloe are the future you want. Where do I fit into that?! It's not like I left Chloe by choice, I was drugged and stuck in the fucking ground!" Rachel shouted, taking the phone from her pocket. "These people… are the only people who know I fucking exist now." She said, shaking the phone.

"I know you exist, Chloe will know! You have no idea how happy she'll be!" She shouted back. "You'll be… with us… we can make a better future!" She said, trying to understand what was wrong.

"I don't want a fucking future where I have to watch you both in love!" Rachel said, throwing the phone onto the bed.

"Then what do you want?! Do you want me to fucking leave? Let you live your fucking life?" Max raged, thinking of everything she'd been through.

"And where would you go? This is your grand fucking plan!"

"I don't know, but you obviously don't want me here if you're trying to escape me!" Max said, throwing her own phone onto the bed and pacing the floor, shaking her head as her plans collapsed around her.

"I don't fucking know! I'm so fucking confused!" Rachel shouted, crossing her arms across her chest and starting to pace the floor.

"Then fucking talk to me! That's what friends do!" Max said, leaning against the apartment door.

"I don't want you as a friend Max!" Rachel yelled.

Max closed her eyes as the words hit home. She felt her emotions for the girl pulling at her heart, the thing she'd been burying each day that had made her seem so serious and cold. The feelings she was ashamed of having when she shouldn't feel them for anybody but Chloe. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to bury them to the bottom of her heart and ignore them, hoping they would disappear given enough time. The emotions that had just been thoroughly stomped on by Rachel telling her she didn't want her friendship. She felt as though it was coming for some time, the moments where Rachel would remain distant with her had made her think the girl was sick of her. It was why she'd been trying so hard to show Rachel that she meant something to her, why she'd tried to do something nice for her all those weeks ago. She'd even tried to plan something for the birthday she would never have had if it wasn't for Max.

"Fine." Max said sadly, turning to open the apartment door.

"No… Max… that's not what I meant." Rachel said, rushing over to take Max's hand and stop her leaving. "That came out wrong."

"No, I get it. You were stuck with me, I didn't even give you a choice." Max said, reluctantly allowing the girl to stop her. "I… was just trying to keep you safe for Chloe."

"Max… that's… not what I meant. I'm sorry." Rachel whispered, a tear in her hazel eyes.

"Then how did you mean it?" She asked painfully.

"Not like that." Rachel whispered, trying to hold her. "Never like that."

"Just... fucking tell me the truth!"

"The truth?" Rachel whispered, closing her eyes, the strain evident upon her pretty face.

"Yes Rach, the truth." Max said unkindly, trying to force the girl to finally be honest.

Rachel turned to walk away from her when Max quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her, pulling her back around to face her. It happened in a flash, sudden and unexpected. Rachel kissed her firmly, pressing her back against the door. At first Max hesitated, her left hand twitching as she made the motions to begin a rewind, but she kissed the blonde girl back, her right hand going to the side of Rachel's face.

Then her senses came back to her and she rewound the moment, undoing the damage she had done by turning the girl to face her. Instead of reaching for Rachel's wrist she turned back towards the door and left the apartment behind, a pain stabbing at her chest as she realised what she had done across Chloe. Whether Rachel remembered it or not, she would, and she would feel guilty for the rest of her life.

* * *

Rachel heard the door snap shut behind her and froze, wondering if what she had momentarily planned to do had happened and Max had rewound her out of shame, or fear, or disgust. She'd had another good night with Jen and now her world was falling down around her ears. Lunging for the bed she grabbed her phone hoping to call Max and try to put everything right, but she noticed Max's phone also lay on the bed. Another fear clutched her chest as she worried Max was leaving.

She dialed the only number she had, hoping Jen wouldn't fob her off as being dramatic.

"Rach? Wassup you just left." Jen said, sounding sleepy when she answered her phone.

"Jen.. I fucked up, I really fucked up." She said, pacing the room.

"What happened?" The girl asked, sounding more awake.

"I think I kissed her." Rachel answered, not quite thinking about her responses.

"You think? You're not sure?" Jen laughed playfully.

"Look… I got home, it was dark, I was still feeling the booze." She lied, trying to not sound crazy. "I think we kissed and… she's just gone."

"Gone?" Jen asked, the normal jovial tone to her voice gone. "Meet me at the park, I'll see you soon."

She took no time pocketing the phone and racing out of the apartment, hoping to spot Max on the way to the park. Hoping for a chance to put right whatever she did. It was a nightmare, a situation she should have avoided, could have avoided if she hadn't been teasing the girl so much. She kept replaying the last few months over in her mind, all of the times she'd teased Max or made a suggestive comment.

Reaching the park she saw Jen was already there, her black jacket zipped up with her hands in her pockets. Rachel immediately rushed over to her, receiving a warm consoling hug from the taller girl that she really needed right then.

"What happened?" Jen asked gently.

"I fucked up." Rachel said, trying to keep her voice steady as the emotions plagued her. "I… acted on impulse, I kissed her and she ran out. She didn't take her phone." She added, knowing Jen would ask.

"She'll come back." Jen said, keeping Rachel in her arms. "She won't just up and leave, she needs her things."

"You don't know Max, that girl… is a force of nature. If she's set her mind to it…" Rachel sighed and wiped a tear from her eyes. "She's gone."

"Then let's take you home instead of standing on the streets." The dark haired girl said, taking hold of Rachel's hand and gently leading her back to Rachel's apartment with Max.

Rachel took the lead when they reached the end of the street, still keeping an eye out for the brown haired girl, hoping to catch sight of her. When they entered the single room apartment she'd hoped Max would already be sat on the bed waiting for her, except it was empty.

Jen walked into the room towards the dining table, already looking at the display of sketches and polaroids.

"These are amazing." She said, touching one of the pictures. "Is this all yours?" She asked.

"No. The sketches are mine but Max is the photographer." Rachel answered, sitting on the bed and pulling her knees up to her chest.

"She has an awesome eye… especially for the pictures of you." Jen commented, flicking one of the pictures.

"I really fucked up." She muttered, hoping Max would walk through the door.

"I say that a lot too." Jen laughed, sitting on the bed beside her. "She'll be back…"

"How do you know? Really?" Rachel asked, searching for a little hint of hope.

"I had a girlfriend once, she was awesome. Like Max… she loved taking pictures, and she told me that you can only truly capture the essence of a person if you understand them and care about them enough." Jen said, sounding sad for the first time Rachel had known her. "Those pictures of you… are like the ones she could take of me."

"What happened to her?" She said, turning towards the dark haired girl.

"Some weird shit… she couldn't get over it and… died." Jen sighed, trying to force a smile.

"I'm so sorry." She wrapped her arms around Jen, who leaned into the contact, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Not your fault." Jen said, forcing a laugh. "But believe me… Max will come back. She cares about you, maybe more than she was letting on."

Jen climbed off the bed to look at the pictures some more, giving Rachel time to think about what she'd been told. It made her feel worse for Chloe, after all the lies she'd have to own up she would have to tell Chloe she also had feelings for Max and had tried to kiss her, maybe even kissed her if Max really had rewound it.

She lay down on the bed, her eyes on the door to the apartment as Jen sat beside her once more, stroking her hair comfortingly. It was the worst start to her birthday, making such a monumental mistake just because she kept trying to run away from her problems. She'd tried to avoid making it, to explain calmly how she was feeling, but something had obviously happened for Max to run away from her, to rewind something away.

The thought of one of her memories being erased without her permission upset her further, the thought she may never have something she wanted because Max could control time and change events. She wondered what would happen if Chloe chose her over Max, would Max rewind time and make arguments until Chloe chose her instead? Was Max that petty? Or was Rachel that twisted because she thought about it?

She buried her head in her hands and allowed the tears to fall, aware of Jen putting her arms around her and holding her as she cried. Somebody she'd barely known three weeks was comforting her through it when she only wanted Chloe… or Max. She'd take either of them if it meant the pain would go away.


	13. Broken

After wandering the streets aimlessly for some hours, struggling with the barrage of emotions and guilt she wasn’t used to, Max started to form some kind of plan in her head to find a place to sleep. With the help of her rewinds she managed to persuade somebody to place a bet for her with the tiny bit of money she had, resulting in her having enough for a hotel for at least a couple of nights. 

Once again she’d cheated to get ahead in the world, another nail in her innocence, another breach of her own moral code because she didn’t want to face Rachel again. After everything she’d been through, all of her promises to never use her powers again she was using them more and more and having to keep an eye open for the first unnatural change in the weather. She still had no idea if the storm was connected to her, or Chloe’s life. It was a mystery in her life she’d just kind of accepted.

After checking into the closest hotel she feebly walked up the stairs to her room, thinking of the last hotel she had stayed in with Chloe, all of the happy memories they had made, would make. She kicked her shoes off before falling onto the bed, exhausted from the time she’d spent walking idley through San Francisco. 

She closed her eyes to try to sleep but the memory of the kiss kept playing on her mind, the touch of Rachel’s lips, the feel of her skin. Max shook her head into the pillow, trying to shake the image, trying to think of Chloe instead. Letting out a soft sigh she opened her eyes and stared into the darkness of her room. 

“What should I do…” She whispered, thinking of Chloe. “I was trying to bring Rachel back to Chloe and… I fucked that up.” 

_ How did you honestly think that was going to go you dork? Chloe was going to be in an uncomfortable position and somebody was going to get hurt. _

“But it shouldn’t be Chloe getting hurt again.” She argued with herself. “I’d rather it was me than Chloe.”

She screwed up her eyes as she started to cry, her guilt and sadness finally overwhelming her. The tears slid down the side of her face onto the pillow until she turned her head into it once more, burying her face as she sobbed about the night and how she felt like she’d betrayed Chloe, the one thing she never wanted to do.

Waking up some time later she dragged herself out of bed into the bathroom and washed her face. Looking in the mirror it felt as though a stranger was staring back at her. Her eyes were puffy from crying, her hair was long and disheveled, she hadn’t had a haircut in months and her nose had once again been bleeding at some point, evident by the small flecks of blood she had missed that clung to the inside of her nostril. She hadn’t even been aware of it and wondered what the clerk at the front desk must have thought about her.

Max returned to the bedroom and collapsed back into the bed, taking a deep breath as she thought about the night’s events, about her weeks with Rachel. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling as she remembered the batter smiley she’d drawn on Rachel’s face, or the pictures they had taken together in the park and at the theatre. 

She reached for her phone and remembered she’d left it behind, along with everything else she’d owned. Once again she was without all of the important things in her life. Rolling over she curled up into a ball and tried to go back to sleep. Hoping the next time she woke up she would be beside Chloe.

* * *

 

It had been a couple of days since Max had disappeared, leaving Rachel in the apartment alone. Both mornings she had woken up, hoping to find the little brunette girl lying asleep in the sleeping bag. She checked her phone for messages and saw a couple from Jen, asking if she was okay. She typed a quick response and stuffed the phone under the pillow before running her hand through her long blonde hair, sighing as the sadness of the last couple of days washed over her.

Over the last two days she had cried more than she thought was possible, aware of the damage she felt she had done to Max and Chloe’s relationship, as well as her own friendship with Max. Although the apartment was small, it felt all the more empty without the small girl with her. It’s why she’d spent most of the last two days at Jen’s, taking up valuable space on their couch. 

The three of them had been understanding after Jen explained the situation to them, going so far as offering for her to stay with them if she needed it. But Rachel always returned to the apartment at night, to wait and hope that Max would eventually return, if only to retrieve her things.

As if on cue there was a knock on the front door. When she opened it Jen was stood soaking wet with a bag, a couple of drinks and a wide smile on her pretty face, making Rachel smile in turn.

“Special delivery.” Jen grinned, stepping past Rachel when she allowed her to enter.

“Just what I ordered.” Rachel tried to joke, taking the proffered cup and sitting back down on the bed. “Is it raining?”

“Yeah. Still no sign?” She asked, placing the bag on the side and taking off her wet jacket. 

“Zero, zilch, nada.” Rachel said for the second time in two days. “Her stuff’s still here so… she hasn’t snuck in while I’ve been with you.” She added, watching as Jen took a couple of bagels out of the bag.

“Do you want her to? Just… up and leave like that?” Jen asked, flicking her wet hair out of her eyes as she tried to plate up their breakfast.

“Of course not…” Rachel said defensively. “I just want to know she’s okay.”

“I know how that feels.” Jen said quietly, handing a plate to Rachel as she sat down beside her on the bed. “Believe me.” She added before taking a bite of her food.

Rather than push the topic Rachel ate her own bagel in silence, wondering if the girl she was missing would appear in the doorway any minute drenched from the rain. It was almost like the hope she’d felt in the dark room, waiting for her blue haired saviour to come to her rescue once more. Instead a brunette haired girl had saved her, pulled her from who knows what fate and set her on another road. She took the plate from Jen when they’d finished eating and placed them in the sink, then set about getting ready for the day ahead.

Jen was once again admiring the pictures on the wall while Rachel got dressed, pulling on a pair of black jeans and a black vest top.

“I just realised…” Jen said, flicking a photo up to look at the one beneath it. “There’s only you and Max in these.”

“Yeah, from our time in San Francisco.” Rachel confirmed as she tightened her belt. “Why?”

“There’s sketches of… Chloe… I’m guessing, but no pictures?” Jen said, turning to face her.

“We don’t have any... “ Rachel answered sadly, looking at one of her best sketches of Chloe, or at least how she remembered her. “And we can’t replace the ones we did have so… I draw her, as best as I can.”

“Okay.” Jen said with a gentle smile. “I hope I get to meet her soon.”

“Me too.” Rachel smiled, pulling a black jacket on over her vest top. “You’d love her, she’s brilliant.”

“Not the jealous type I hope?” Jen smirked, pulling her wet jacket back on and following Rachel to the front door.

“As long as you don’t tell her what you did to me… you should be fine.” Rachel smiled, trying to be playful but remembering what Max told her about how Chloe reacted about her relationship with Frank.

“Keep the fact I made you scream a secret, got it.” Jen teased as Rachel pushed her out the door, locking it behind them.

“You’re such a tease.” Rachel grinned as they exited onto the street, taking hold of Jen’s hand more out of comfort than anything else.

“It’s how I cheer people up.” Jen shrugged. “I act all caring and understanding, then I pile on the jokes, and then… bang… I get them into my bed.” Rachel couldn’t help but laugh at her really bad joke. “See? Works every time.” Jen said with a grin.

“Thank you… for this.” Rachel said gently. “For… looking after me.”

“No problem. What are friends for?” Jen smiled, leading Rachel towards the park in the pouring rain, intent on getting back to Jen’s home for the day once more.

Rachel glanced across the almost empty park and saw somebody she thought she recognised, slowing down for a moment in the hope that it was Max. The girl looked in Rachel’s direction, dashing her hopes when she realised she was wrong and continuing along the footpath with Jen.

“Sorry, thought I saw… her.” She admitted, not seeing any reason to lie.

“That will happen a lot.” Jen said, sounding certain in her statement. 

When they reached Jen’s home they took their shoes off by the door and hung their jackets on a couple of coat hooks beside the door. Jen dashed upstairs, leaving Rachel standing on the welcome mat, dithering from the rain that had accumulated in her jeans and hair. The dark haired girl returned moments later with a towel over her head, tossing a second to Rachel who quickly started drying her hair. 

“Jeans. Strip ‘em.” Jen commanded gently.

“Getting ahead of yourself a bit.” Rachel teased but doing as instructed, handing her wet jeans to the dark haired girl.

“I’ll get you something else to wear while these dry.”

The girl disappeared upstairs again, taking a little longer to return this time. Rachel sat down on the couch, continuing to try to dry her long hair. She really had thought she’d seen Max in the park, but she had no way of truly knowing, not with the girl’s amazing time powers. When Jen returned she dropped a pair of pyjama bottoms on Rachel’s bare legs. She picked them up to inspect them and laughed at all the cute little hearts printed on the grey material.

“They’re Brooke’s. I don’t wear pyjamas.” Jen smirked, sitting down on the couch as Rachel stood up to pull on the slightly too big pyjama bottoms.

“I’m aware.” She grinned, sitting back down with her back against the arm of the couch so she could look at Jen without turning her neck. “Didn’t you have work today?” She asked.

“I did… but with you being all… panicky… I asked for it off.” The girl answered with a gentle smile. “Kelly will be home around lunch time, and Brooke will be back later tonight. So… it’s just you and me ‘til then.”

“I appreciate it, really.” She said, placing her legs on either side of Jen again, more for comfort than anything else.

“You’re welcome. I…” Jen smiled weakly, then bit her bottom lip and looked up at the ceiling.

“Are you okay?” Rachel asked, sitting forward out of concern.

“Yeah I’m just… I told you about Liz, my girlfriend?” Jen asked, frowning a little bit.

“Your ex?” Rachel said, recalling the mention of a girlfriend the night Max left.

“Girlfriend.” Jen corrected her gently. “We never broke up and… okay, cards on the table, and this is difficult enough for me to talk about so… no interrupting, okay?”

“Okay.” Rachel nodded, her brow furrowed.

“Liz and I dated a few years ago. Well… she died.” Jen licked her lip as she tried to find the words. “Rach… she killed herself, because we… I… didn’t believe her about something that should never have fucking happened to her had I not been a drunk fucking idiot.” 

Tears had started to fill the girl’s crystal blue eyes, which Rachel hated to see. She crossed her legs and leaned over to put her arms around the girl. 

“Losing her… I said I’d never let somebody be alone if they were reaching out for help and I could help them.” She explained, holding Rachel just as tightly as Rachel held her. “You reached out, and I was happy to help.” She continued, releasing Rachel for a moment to kiss her cheek. “You’re a great fucking lay, that definitely helped.”

Rachel couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden sordid joke, but it made them both smile. 

“Well… I’m glad you’re here for me.” She said, gently wiping the tears from Jen’s cheeks. “I’m really happy your friends found me.”

“Yeah… so am I. I got laid.” Jen laughed again.

“Worth it.” She laughed, sitting back on the couch to give them both a little space.

“You’re not alone Rach, and I like you enough to say you’re my friend.” The dark haired girl said with a small smile on her face.

“I think I can agree to that…” Rachel said, trying to hold back her own poorly timed joke. “I’m gonna miss the sex though.” She smirked.

“Oh that’s still on the table.” Jen laughed, climbing off the couch. “I told you, you’re a great fucking lay.”

“Thanks.” Rachel smiled, trying to take it as the compliment it was.

“Want a drink?” Jen offered, stopping by the door to the kitchen.

“Go for it, I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s good to hear.” Jen smiled, blowing her a kiss before disappearing into the next room.

Rachel spent the day with Jen, watching TV and trying not to think about the last couple of days without Max. Then trying not to think about the last few months without Chloe, all the way back to her experience in the dark room. It sent a shiver down her spine as she thought about the camera clicks and how powerless she was. She closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to shut out those dark memories, trying not to slip back to a place Max had saved her from. Jen’s arm wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her into a comforting hug, something she sorely needed at that moment. 

Kelly returned from work at lunch time as they’d expected, dropping a couple of packaged sandwiches into their laps before disappearing upstairs to change out of her own wet clothes, returning a little later with her hair dried and in pyjamas.

“Good day?” Jen grinned.

“Fuck off.” Kelly growled, opening her own packaged sandwich. “Fucking asshole manager.”

“That’s all I needed to know.” Jen laughed through a mouthful of food.

Eating her meal in silence, Rachel watched the playful exchange between the two friends, trying not to laugh when Jen teased Kelly about something she’d heard that night. It was nice to see the kind of friendship they had, the laughter and happiness, but she knew there had to have been some dark days, especially after what Jen had told her about Liz. The dark haired girl never gave a sign of the pain she must feel, having lost the person she loved. But it explained why she couldn’t become emotionally tied down, she wouldn’t give up on the girl she’d lost.

“You okay babe?” Kelly said, causing Rachel to look up at her.

“Yeah, just thinking.” Rachel replied with a smile. “Thanks for the sandwich.”

“Knew you’d be here, not going to let you go hungry.” Kelly smiled back. “Brooke should be home soon, we can get some beers in if you want?”

“Don’t go out of your way for me.” She said, shaking her head gently.

“If we offer, we’re not.” Jen said, nudging Rachel’s side.

“Yeah, unlike some of Jen’s other conquests you’re at least a laugh.” Kelly laughed.

“Oh now that’s not fair!” Jen growled. “That girl was fucking adorable!”

“She barely spoke to us… you only thought she was adorable because she was good with her tongue.” Kelly retorted quickly.

Rachel almost choked as she tried to laugh with food in her mouth. “Do I need to hear this?” She said, glancing at Jen who was smirking.

“Oh babe, stay with us long enough and you’ll know what Jen is like.” The blonde and pink haired girl said with a grin.

“I think I already do.” Rachel teased, poking Jen’s leg with her foot.

“Touch me with that foot again and I’ll bite it…” Jen teased, finishing her sandwich and dropping the empty packaging on the floor beside the couch. “All the way to your…”

“Alright! I am trying to eat. I don’t need to know your kinks right now.” Kelly quickly said.

Jen leaned over and whispered in Rachel’s ear. “She’s just jealous.”

“Uh-huh… how?” Rachel asked, a small smirk playing on her lips as she felt Jen’s lips against her ear.

“Because you know some of my kinks.” Jen said, kissing her ear before sitting back down properly.

When Brooke got back later that evening they did as Kelly had suggested and broke out the beers, trying to help take Rachel’s mind off her Max problem.  They played a game of poker, which Jen was far too good at, winning all of the beer caps they chose to play with instead of real money. The girl was difficult to read, with Kelly and Brooke losing their caps faster than Rachel. But she managed to hold her own for a time, until Jen finally won.

With their game finished Brooke and Kelly wished Rachel and Jen good night, giving them both hugs and kisses on the cheeks, leaving the two of them downstairs alone once more. Jen flicked on one of the consoles they owned, asking if Rachel wanted to give it a go but she shook her head, instead getting comfy on the couch with her head on Jen’s lap. During cutscenes of the game Jen would gently stroke her hair, as they watched the game together. It was a peaceful experience, not having to think or speak about anything significant.

She was just trying to kill more time until she went back to an empty apartment just to wait and see if Max would return.

“I’d better head back.” She said reluctantly, having enjoyed her time with Jen a little too much.

“Want me to walk you home?” Jen asked kindly, saving and pausing her game.

“Sure you want to get soaked again?” Rachel asked, standing up and stretching.

“Just a bit of water.” Jen smirked, standing up and disappearing upstairs for a moment, returning with Rachel’s jeans.

She changed out of the pyjama bottoms under the pervy gaze of Jen, who tilted her head to the side and winked playfully. They both put on their shoes and jackets, zipping up to brace for the elements outside.

Jen held her hand as they walked the streets back towards Rachel’s apartment. The rain was getting heavier, soaking their clothes before they reached the park. Once again Rachel glanced across the park in the hope of seeing Max and saw a lone figure sat on a bench.

“I should be okay from here.” She said, slowing Jen to a stop. “You get home, get warm.”

“You sure? It’s no trouble, I’m already soaked.” Jen laughed, indicating her clothes.

“Exactly, you’re soaked. Go home. I’ll text you when I get in, okay?” Rachel persisted.

“Alright.” Jen nodded. “But as soon as you get in, okay?”

Rachel nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, a small display of affection that Jen returned.

“See you later.” Rachel said as she watched Jen turn and start to walk away.

She waited for a moment until the girl was a good distance away before turning into the park and walking towards the lone figure. She had no idea why, it could simply be a stranger or a homeless person, but she felt drawn to find out. As she drew closer she recognised the small petite form of a girl, and smiled when Max looked towards her.

“I… didn’t know where you were.” Max said, looking up at her through the drenched bangs on her face. “I panicked and… I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t need to apologise to me.” Rachel replied, sitting down on the wet bench beside the girl who had saved her life. “I should have been honest with you.”

“How did you know it was me?” The girl said, looking down at her hands.

“A gut feeling.” Rachel admitted. “I’ve been hoping all day to see you. I just… knew.” She said as the rain hammered down. 

Max let out a small laugh. “I went home to take some things but when I saw your sketches of Chloe… I couldn’t do that to you, or to her.”

“Max… why did you leave?” She asked gently. “Did you rewind something?”

“I was scared… I panicked.” She admitted quietly, turning her hand over in the rain to allow the rain to fall upon her palm.

Rachel could see bright red lines across her hand, like she’d been scratching her palm over and over again.

“Oh Max…” She sighed, taking hold of the small girl’s hands. 

“I rewound you… I took something you wanted, I stole your memory.” She said sadly, allowing Rachel to turn her slightly so they were facing each other on the bench.

“It’s okay.” Rachel said, holding Max’s hands gently, just glad the girl had returned.

“It’s not because... “ She closed her eyes tightly and sighed. “Because I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

“I kissed you… didn’t I?” Rachel asked, trying to confirm her suspicions.

“Yeah…” Max nodded.

“I’m so fucking sorry! I shouldn’t have! I know how you feel about Chloe and… I was still drunk and…” She said quickly trying to make excuses for her actions.

“I kissed you back.” Max whispered.

“Oh.” Rachel said, surprised at the admission.

“And I wanted more… but… I stopped it and I rewound and I ran. I ran away from you.”

“It’s okay, it’s fine… Max… you’re back and that’s what matters. When we see Chloe I’ll take the blame, I won’t let this affect your relationship with her.” Rachel said quickly, already planning how she would explain so she could take the blame.

“I won’t lie to her.” Max said sadly. “She deserves the truth, even if she hates me for it.”

“You really don’t know her if you think she’s going to stay fucking mad at you.” Rachel chuckled. “You’re Max Caulfield, time traveling badass.” A small smile crossed Max’s lips, making Rachel smile. It was just what she needed to see. “There’s that cute smile again.”

“Rach… we need to do a lot of talking.” Max said, the smile quickly disappearing from her face. “No more secrets… or lies… I… I’m going to tell you everything.”

“Then let’s go home out of the rain, and somewhere more private.” Rachel said with a gentle nod, standing up and pulling Max with her.

The rain beat heavily on their heads as they slowly started walking back across the park in the direction of their apartment, holding onto each other’s hands like their lives depended on it. Max stopped suddenly in the rain and Rachel turned to face her, worried something was wrong.

“Rach…” Max said quietly, taking a tentative step towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t do it if you’re going to regret it, Caulfield.” Rachel said sternly, locking eyes with Max. “I don’t want you spending the next three months regretting a kiss.”

Max nodded, but took one last step towards her as the rain ran down her face. Rachel brushed Max’s wet hair out of her face and touched her cheek, her own doubts on her mind. She wanted her memory back, she wanted the kiss that was stolen from her, but she didn’t know the cost. Torn between what she wanted and what was right.

When she felt Max’s lips against her own she hesitated at first, but quickly returned the affection Max was giving her. Placing a hand to the back of Max’s neck she wanted to keep the kiss going for as long as possible, enjoying the touch of somebody who cared for her in turn, not just the physical action she experienced with Jen. She felt Max’s left hand in her right and held it, aware for a moment of the girl struggling to allow it to continue. 

They slowly parted, a strange look in Max’s blue eyes. But she gave a weak smile Rachel hadn’t expected to see. 

“Rach… I want a future with you in it, because I can’t see one without you.” She whispered carefully. “But… I can’t give you more than that until…”

“We speak to Chloe.” Rachel nodded, feeling closer to Max than she had felt to anybody over the last few months. “You’re the Queen of Time Max… if anybody can see our future, it’s you.”

“I’m making half of this shit up as I go along.” Max laughed quietly.

“Well… let’s make it up together.” Rachel said, gently taking Max’s hand and pulling her away from the park until they were walking back towards the apartment.

When they got back to the apartment the first thing Rachel did was retrieve towels from the bathroom, tossing Max’s blue one to her before she started peeling herself out of her wet clothes. Max already had her jacket and shoes off, soon followed by her soaked jeans. Rachel couldn’t stop herself from looking at the half naked girl, who only moments ago had kissed her in the rain, confirming not only how Max felt but how she felt for Max. Just as she’d told Jen, she’d fallen for Max and still loved Chloe. Unless they could think up a solution before leaving San Francisco, one of them was going to get hurt.

Kicking off her wet jeans Rachel wrapped the towel around her waist and peeled off her top, despite wearing a jacket the rain had managed to leak its way down her neck, slowly soaking her top as well. Max had fared no better, and soon the two of them were standing in their apartment in just their underwear.

“Here.” Rachel said, tossing Max one of their clean shirts before taking one for herself.

“Thanks.” The girl muttered, pulling the shirt on over her head, careful not to get it wet on her hair.

“So…” Rachel said, drawing the word out as she pulled on her own shirt. “The truth…” She finished, sitting on the bed with the towel around her waist.

“The truth.” Max nodded, sitting on the bed beside her.

“I’d been sneaking out for a couple of weeks.” Rachel said first. “I met Kelly and Brooke… and I went to a party with them where I met Jen and… I’ve been sleeping with her.”

“Okay.” Max sighed, her eyes slightly wider at the sudden information Rachel had revealed. “Do you love her too?”

“No. No. Jen and I… it’s just physical, I…” Rachel sighed herself and tried to think how to explain, finally deciding to just let it spill out. “I was sleeping with her to stop thinking about you and Chloe. I was doing it for a distraction, to feel… wanted by somebody. To feel alive.”

“Me and Chloe?” Max asked, moving up the bed to sit against the headboard.

“I like you both.” Rachel answered, moving the other way to the foot of the bed so she could look at Max. “I miss Chloe and… you… you… Max you’re great, when you’re not hiding you’re hella awesome and I love spending time with you. But we need to… live more. We’re so fucking far removed from Arcadia Bay I really don’t think hanging with a few people is going to have massive implications on the timeline.”

“Okay.” Max nodded slowly.

“Okay?” Rachel frowned, wondering whether she heard her correctly.

“Well you’ve already been hanging out with them… so why not?” Max smiled weakly. “My plan was only making us depressed anyway.”

Rachel smiled and nodded happily. “Thanks Max.”

“Are you still going to be…” Max started to say, but Rachel could guess what she was about to ask.

“No… not if it makes you uncomfortable considering…”

“Us.” Max finished for her, which Rachel nodded to confirm. “I can’t stop you having sex.” The girl shrugged. “That’s not up to me, you’ll… just have to use your better judgement.”

“Like sneaking out and not telling you how I feel judgement?” Rachel smirked.

“Yeah, that one.” Max smiled in turn, placing her hands on her lap.

They sat in silence for a moment, giving Rachel time to process everything. She wanted something with Max and Chloe, something more than an odd hug or being in their lives. If it meant giving up time with Jen to ensure something with them, she wasn’t sure if her own sensibilities could handle it. She’d just started to enjoy sex again.

“I’m going to start with the easy thing…” Max said, scratching her left hand again. “I’ve been using my powers to gamble, so that we could have a life. It goes against everything I thought I stood for.”

“That’s okay Max, it’s just to get us through, you don’t have to anymore, we’ll work out something...”

“That’s not the worst of it.” Max said, cutting her off. The small girl sighed sadly and started chewing her bottom lip. “When I saved you… when I found what they were doing to you… what they were planning to do with you…” She went quiet, closing her eyes. “Rach… I did everything I could to save you without killing, I got beaten over and over trying to save you and in the end… the only way I could…”

“Max…” Rachel said as the girl went quiet, slowly moving up the bed to sit beside Max.

She remained quiet, a tormented expression on her sweet features. Rachel wrapped an arm around her and felt Max slowly lean into the touch.

“I killed them Rach. I killed them over and over until I felt better.”


	14. Simple Changes

For all of Chloe’s stories about Rachel and all of the things they had discovered about her during the week of the storm, Max had never expected what Rachel did next. There was no yell of surprise, no fearful look in her hazel eyes. She didn’t break contact with Max or run across the room to get away from the monster she held in her arms.

Rachel wrapped her other arm around Max, pulling her into a caring embrace and kissed her head protectively. But Max didn’t cry, she didn’t feel guilty for saving Rachel. There was no guilt being carried on her shoulders for saving the life of an innocent girl, only the guilt of hiding it from her, the guilt of lying to somebody she could honestly say she cared about, almost loved.

“I’m scared… of losing Chloe because of who I’ve become. Scared of losing you because of what I am.” She whispered as she leaned into Rachel, accepting the comforting touch.

“You won’t lose us Max.” Rachel said, gently stroking her wet hair from her eyes. “You saved my life, you did whatever you had to do to save me. I can never hate you for that.”

“I… can still taste the blood in my mouth.” She muttered, remembering the time she had to bite one of them, to get them off so she could rewind. She shivered at the thought and felt Rachel’s arms tighten.

“I tried to be… good. Non-lethal.” She said, thinking of her first approach. The needle to the back of the woman’s neck. “It was so much easier but…” She trailed off, closing her eyes.

“What happened?” Rachel asked gently.

“I had to kill them, after what they did to me, after they killed you over and over again…” She mumbled, wrapping her arms around Rachel’s waist. “I shot them, I got one of their guns and I shot them. Then I rewound and shot them again, and again… over and over… until it became… boring…” She said, burying her face into Rachel’s neck. “I… rewound, I used the gun to force them into the car and drive us out of Arcadia. If they resisted… I shot them, in the arms or legs… until I learned what really hurt.”

“Max…” Rachel whispered, but she couldn’t stop telling her story.

“When we were far enough away, I had them pull off the highway down a dirt road… I was bleeding, I was tired and… I’d had enough.” She nuzzled Rachel’s neck like she did with Chloe, trying to bury herself into the body of the girl she was with, trying to escape the darkness within herself. “I killed them… again. One last time. And then I drove us away, as far away as possible. I never touched them, I left no evidence.” She quickly added. “I wiped down the car, ditched it and... burned it… I did… everything… I could think of to leave no trace. I acted like a fucking criminal.”

“No… Max. You saved my life from two evil fucking assholes, who would have killed you. That did kill me.” Rachel said, gently stroking her hair as she held her close. “You are a fucking hero.”

“I’m not a hero Rach… I’m a fucking monster.” Max whimpered. “I’m a God damn fucking monster!”

“Max Caulfield…” Rachel said sternly, pulling Max away so they could look into each other’s eyes. “You are my hero. You saved my life, you saved Chloe’s life. You keep risking yourself for others, through all the pain it causes you. The Dark Room, the place I couldn’t escape, you got out. The beatings, you endured them. You… are… a fucking hero.”

“Rach…” Max pleaded almost silently, trying not to be put on a plinth for her actions.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” Rach whispered, a gentle touch to Max’s nose with her own that Chloe would do. “Stop fighting me on this…”

“I’m not fighting you…” Max retorted, trying hard to keep her eyes on Rachel’s. “I’m…” She sighed, fighting to control her impulses, her emotions.

She understood exactly what Rachel meant about trying to forget something with another act. For the blonde girl it was to use sex or drugs to blank out her troubles, to hide from her problems. But Max hid behind her camera, she disconnected from the world entirely. Yet something in her didn’t want to, there was an impulse fighting for control, telling her to let go of her problems. To do what Rachel would do.

“You’re only human.” Rachel said gently, her hand going to Max’s cheek to brush the hair that had fallen into her eyes away. “You’ve got these amazing powers, a gift.” Max rolled her eyes. “You’re an amazing person Max.”

“But… how can you think that way when I… when I…” Max said, almost pleading to understand.

“When you changed my fate? When you saved my life? Cared for me? Gave me a home?” Rachel listed off. “Or how about when you gave me an awesome day out? Or made sure I reached my nineteenth birthday?”

“Shut up…” Max said, feeling a little bashful at all of the things Rachel was saying.

“Make me.” Rachel whispered cheekily. “Because I’m not going to stop until you realise how fucking awesome…”

That was as far as Rachel got before Max pressed her lips to Rachel’s, her impulses finally winning out against her poor resistance. She wanted to escape her pain, to escape the memories that would haunt her in her sleep. More than anything she wanted to feel what Rachel had been yearning for, she wanted to feel alive.

Rachel didn’t resist the sudden show of affection, kissing Max back just like she’d hoped would happen. Their emotions were charged from their earlier kiss that had been intended to replace what Max had stolen, but she wanted that little bit more. She placed a hand to Rachel’s cheek when a phone started to ring, drawing them from their moment.

The blonde girl quickly got off the bed and rushed to her discarded jeans, pulling the leg the right way so she could get at the phone in the pocket. Max remained on the bed, her recent actions killing her slowly from the inside now that the passion of the moment had left.

“Hey Jen… yeah I’m safe, I’m sorry… Max is here.” Rachel quickly said, the phone pressed to her ear. “We’re… talking.” She glanced at Max, a small tinge of red in her cheeks. “Yes talking not… stop it you perv.” Rachel said, turning away from Max with a small laugh. “I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Night.”

She hung up the phone and turned back to Max, an apologetic look in her hazel eyes.

“She was worried about me. I promised I’d text when I got home.” Rachel explained, dropping the phone on the kitchen counter and sitting back down on the bed.

“I’m sorry I…” Max started to say.

“Don’t be. I know… how it feels to want to forget, to hide… to run.” Rachel said, moving up the bed to sit beside Max.

“Don’t… let me sleep alone tonight.” Max pleaded, scratching at her left hand again until Rachel stopped her.

“Okay.” Rachel nodded with a smile.

Together they slipped under the duvet, Rachel leaned out of the bed and snatched up the pillow from the sleeping bag, placing it on the bed under her own head. Max turned off the bedside lamp and lay on her side, watching the blonde haired girl moving in the darkness. She didn’t want to sleep, to return to the nightmares and memories. Rachel’s hand found Max’s left, holding it softly under the covers.

“Max… you’re the bravest girl I know. Braver than Chloe.” Rachel whispered. Max felt the girl slide a little closer. “We’ll face the future together…” She added gently.

“I’m tired of feeling lost.” Max said quietly. “I’m tired of having to let everybody go. I just… Want to tear the whole world down.”

“You don’t have to let me go.” Rachel said confidently.

“I feel… like I’m wasting my breath, like… nothing I do is right.”

“I may be biased… but saving me was right.” Rachel whispered, her breath warm on Max’s face, indicating the girl had moved a little closer to her.

“Rach… I’m tired of feeling like I have nothing left.” Max said, scrunching up her face as she felt the tears in her eyes. “I don’t have Chloe. I don’t have my morales. I have nothing right now, I’m all alone.”

Rachel’s body was quickly pressed against Max’s, arms wrapping around her as she buried her face into the chest of the girl who was beside her, the tears falling down her face not because of the dead, but because of how lonely she felt.

In the darkness, between her muffled sobs she heard Rachel speak. “You have me.”

* * *

 

As the morning light woke Max from her deep slumber, the memories of the previous night rushed to the fore, the two kisses she had shared with Rachel, her admission of guilt. She kept her eyes closed as she once again hoped she wouldn’t wake up alone before cautiously peeking through her heavy eyes at the empty bed beside her. It felt as though a knife had been slipped into her heart. She assumed Rachel had slipped out in the night, to escape her and never look back.

Then Rachel’s bottom filled her vision as the girl sat down on the bed, followed by the caring touch of a hand on Max’s shoulder. The panic that had clutched her chest gave way to a sense of relief, Rachel hadn’t abandoned her after all. Cautiously she placed an arm across Rachel’s bare legs and pulled herself a little closer, the need for a human connection itching at the back of her mind.

“Hey.” Rachel whispered gently, noticing Max was awake.

“Hi.” Max said quietly. “About last night…” She started to say.

“I told you… don’t do it if you’re going to spend three months regretting it…” Rachel said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“It’s not that.” Max quickly interjected. “I wanted to say thank you.”

“You’ve got…” Rachel started to say but Max quickly cut her off.

“Thank you for not running away, like I ran away from you.” She said, sitting up in bed beside the blonde girl. “Thank you for not giving up on me.” She added, looking down at her scratched hand.

Rachel ran her right hand over Max’s left arm until their hands connected, hiding the scratches from sight. “You didn’t give up on me.” She said sweetly. “I’d be a shitty person to give up on you, after everything you went through.”

Max smiled and leaned against Rachel, a little more content than she had been in months. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, it was almost calming to think they could reach this point after the revelations of the night before. Max didn’t feel the need to explain herself, to explain what she’d done. It had all been said and Rachel was still with her.

“I messed up your birthday.” Max muttered, thinking of the plans she’d made.

“It’s okay… what did you have planned?” Rachel asked, giving Max’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“I’d… rather not say.” Max said quietly, rolling their hands over and gently running her finger over the palm of Rachel’s hand.

“Why not?” Rachel said, turning her head to look at Max.

“Because I’d still like to surprise you with it… when it stops raining.” She answered, looking out of the window at the pouring rain.

“I think I can agree to that.” Rachel said with a small smile. “You’re going to have to meet Jen soon.” She added.

“That’s… going to be awkward.” Max whispered, looking at Rachel who hadn’t taken her eyes off Max.

“Why?” Rachel asked curiously.

“When Chloe told me about you, before… I may have got a little jealous, at being replaced.” She answered, trying to live up to their no secrets promise.

“Awww Max.” Rachel said, stopping Max from running her finger over her hand by putting her arm around her instead. “You’re cute. You’re going to be jealous of Jen?”

“I… don’t know. But I don’t want to come over all green eyed monster.”

“I know what she’d tell you.” Rachel smirked.

“Is it going to make me blush?” Max asked cautiously.

“She’d tell you to stop being bashful and take me to bed if you really wanted me.” Rachel shrugged. “She’s a really simple girl, in a good way.”

Max couldn’t help herself from laughing at Rachel’s honesty about her new friend, especially what Jen would be telling them to do.

“You’re so cute when you blush.” Rachel grinned playfully. “Your freckles make you look really red.”

“Stop it.” Max pleaded, pulling her shirt up over her cheeks.

“Don’t hide it.” Rachel said, leaning closer to pull the shirt down from her cheeks. “It’s alluring.”

Once again Max could feel the impulses, the temptation teasing her to act and not regret it. To make the most of life while she had it, because any minute she could die. Like Chloe, or Rachel, or the people of Arcadia Bay. Life taken away by a single choice. She broke eye contact with Rachel and let out a deep breath.

“We should start making plans.” She said, trying to focus her mind on something else other than taking another kiss.

* * *

 

It took a few days for the two girls to find their rhythm together again, Max’s shyness stopped her wanting to meet the three girls Rachel had been hanging out with, but Rachel didn’t force the issue, instead choosing to remain with Max even when she had the option to go out. While the sociable girl was taking a shower one evening, Max spent her time first cleaning the apartment, then sitting at the laptop looking up information about Arcadia Bay. The missing posters of Rachel were on the site she found, as well as requests for any information about the blonde girl. Max sighed as she thought of the blue haired girl who would be putting up those posters, day after day doing nothing but looking for her best friend with no help from the people of Arcadia Bay.

She reached for her phone, tempted to call Chloe and check up on her, to be there for her when she needed her, but it could alter everything, ruin so much. Instead she returned to scratching her left hand. Blood started seeping from where she’d scratched too deep, causing her to wince as her nail dug in a little further. She squeezed her hand shut and closed the laptop before going over to the kitchen sink to clean the blood from her hand.

The bathroom door started to open, Rachel had stopped locking the door, and the blonde haired girl came out with a towel around her waist and another over her head.

“Everything okay?” Rachel asked, rubbing the towel on her hair as she walked towards the dining table.

“Yeah.” Max lied. “No.” She quickly corrected herself.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel said, walking towards Max instead, who tentatively took her hand from under the water and showed Rachel what she’d done to it. “Oh… Max.” She said softly, removing the towel from her head and tossing it aside.

“I keep doing it, not on purpose.” She tried to explain as Rachel pulled the medical bag from under the bed.

“It’s still on your mind though.” Rachel said, dropping the bag on the kitchen counter and rummaging through its well used contents.

“It’s nothing.” Max complained.

“It’s bleeding. When it was a scratch it was nothing.” Rachel argued, taking some bandages out of the bag.

“I’m… not happy with who I am.” Max said sadly. “I… killed and in the end I enjoyed it. I tortured them and it made me feel better. I cheated and I gambled. I love Chloe… but I like you.” She added, looking at Rachel’s expression who smiled gently at the admittance of attraction.

“Then change.” Rachel said, taking hold of Max’s hand as she started to bandage the wound. “You did those things to protect somebody else though, and that isn’t a bad thing. But if there’s something you want to change… change it.”

Rachel pat Max’s cheek affectionately when she’d finished bandaging her hand and returned to drying her hair. Max leaned against the kitchen and crossed her arms as she thought about what Rachel had said, wondering whether it was actually the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself. Going to Blackwell had given her the chance but she didn’t have the friends to help her pick clothing, she’d gone with her Mom instead and hadn’t really grown out of her shell. Now she was in San Francisco with Rachel, a beautiful girl with a great fashion sense, and she was inspiring.

“Rach…” She said, pushing away from the counter and over to the girl.

“Hm?” Rachel turned to face her.

“Wanna go shopping with me tomorrow?” Max smirked.

“You’re on Caulfield.” Rachel smiled with a nod.

The following day they had a quick breakfast and got dressed. Max stashed some of their cash in her camera bag, a permanent fixture of who she was, before heading out the door onto the streets of San Francisco towards the Park where they could use public transport to go shopping in the city. Along the way Max found herself holding Rachel’s hand out of comfort, a calming touch as she felt so out of touch with herself. Rachel didn’t seem to mind the touch, giving her a gentle smile whenever she noticed Max had held her hand again.

They must have gone into dozens of shops, a true little shopping trip for the two girls who had spent so long wearing the same things they’d bought three months ago at the start of their exile from the world. Rachel was truly in her element, looking through beautiful clothes that were well outside of their price range.

After a few more shops they stopped at a restaurant in the Ferry Building where they sat outside in the beautiful weather since the four day downpour. Max snapped a few pictures of Rachel on her camera while the girl wasn’t looking, but was quickly ordered to take some more while Rachel was looking, a beautiful smile on her face. Max was finding it difficult to take her eyes off the person who was still by her side after her confessions the other night. Before their food was served the table was covered in photographs, a number of them of the two girls with their heads pressed together.

“So… what’s our limit today?” Rachel asked, flicking her milkshake straw from her lips.

“As in money?” Max asked, putting down her knife and wiping her lips with the napkin.

“Yeah.” Rachel said. “I don’t want you having to gamble to keep our apartment or anything.”

“I… did a little bit before… I left you.” Max admitted quietly. “We have enough for another couple of months, even if we spend everything I brought with me today.” She said.

“But then we need another plan?” Rachel asked, which Max answered with a nod. “Okay… well… we’ll think of something. No pressure, right?”

“Not for a couple of months… and we can always keep some money to one side just in case…” Max said with a small shrug. “Last resort.” She explained, making Rachel smile slightly.

When they finished eating they gathered up their pictures, paid their bill in cash and returned to shopping, buying a few new items of clothing for Rachel as well when she found something she liked. Max was glad she’d done such a large bet before leaving, it had given them some time to act like teenagers, and it was amazing to see Rachel so happy and full of life again.

Max pushed Rachel into one of the changing rooms and dropped the pile of clothes Rachel had picked out into her arms.

“Your turn, model those clothes.” Max said with a grin, trying to find the confidence in herself that she knew must exist.

“Look at you, getting all bossy.” Rachel smirked, leaving the curtain open as she took off her jacket first.

“If I’m going to be a professional photographer… I need to know how to boss around my models.” Max shrugged, leaning against the wall behind her.

“Doesn’t mean you have to start on me.” Rachel said, kicking off her shoes. “We could have you boss Jen around, she’ll model for you if you ask.”

“I still need to meet her.” Max mused, thinking of the girl she’d seen Rachel with across the park, the kiss she’d seen them share.

“You’ll like her.” Rachel said. “Now turn around.”

“Close the curtain.” Max retorted.

“Just turn around.” Rachel said again, putting her hands on her hips.

“I’m standing guard, just close the curtain.” Max smirked, intent on winning this battle of wills.

Rachel had a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes when she put her hands on the bottom of her shirt and took it off in front of Max. “You can’t beat me Caulfield.” She said with a smirk, turning to the pile of clothes to find a shirt to try on.

“You have no shame.” Max said, shaking her head but keeping an eye open for any other customers.

“I have shame, but not with somebody I live with.” Rachel retorted, picking up a red vest top. “You’ve seen me in my bra enough times anyway.” She grinned as she pulled the top over her head and pulled it down, looking at herself in the mirror. “What do you think?” She asked, giving Max a small twirl.

“Definitely you.” Max smiled.

“Might be you as well.” Rachel said, placing a finger to her lips as she eyed up Max. “Get in here.” She said.

“Shall I just use a different one?” Max asked curiously, trying not to think about what Rachel had planned.

“I said get in here…” Rachel smirked, gently grabbing Max’s jacket and pulling her into the small changing room, whipping the curtain closed behind her.

They changed clothes a few times between them, trying on the different outfits Rachel had picked out, but not once did anything happen between them. There were no flirty winks or brushes of the cheek to send the wrong message, they barely even touched each other unless by accident or to help with an awkward piece of clothing that was soon added to the no pile. It was fun to try on clothes with Rachel’s keen eye for assistance, even if they were trying to choose clothes to buy.

When they were done trying on clothes they paid for what they wanted, which was a large majority of the items they had tried on, and soon left the store behind. Before they headed home they stopped for a drink along the Bay Trail, taking in the views of the Bay as they leaned against the railing with all their shopping.

Max couldn’t stop looking at an advertisement nearby, a small thought on her mind as she admired the model in it. It helped her make up her mind, but she wouldn’t tell Rachel just yet. On the way home they stopped by one last store and then headed home. All the way back Rachel kept asking what she’d bought, but she refused to tell, a smirk playing on her lips whenever Rachel asked.

“I’ll show you soon.” She said for what felt was the hundredth time.

“Tell me now.” Rachel pleaded, her beautiful eyes trying to be like Chloe’s when she did her puppy dog trick, but Max was adamant.

“Just wait.” Max grinned, taking hold of Rachel’s hand as they neared their stop.

They got off the public transport into the park near their apartment and started their casual walk home.

“You’re so stubborn today.” Rachel pouted playfully. “I ask you to tell me one thing…”

“That I’ll show you soon.” Max argued again. “But if you don’t stop asking, I’ll have to shut you up.”

“Oh… is that a promise?” Rachel teased, for the first time in hours.

“No.” Max quickly said, knowing where that kind of promise could lead.

When they entered their apartment they dropped all of their bags on the bed, except for one which Max took into the bathroom. She took off her jacket as she returned to Rachel, kicking her shoes off along the way and nudging them over towards the front door.

“Hella excellent haul today.” Rachel commented, opening one of the bags and taking out a new punk jacket that she had wanted.

“It’s a one off.” Max said gently. “A treat.”

“I know. I won’t expect this everyday.” Rachel said with a small smile. “Here, try it on.” She said, passing the jacket to Max.

“Why am I always trying on your clothes?” Max asked as she took the jacket and tried it on.

“Because you look hella hot in my things.” Rachel teased again.

Rachel’s phone started ringing in her pocket, which she quickly pulled out to answer.

“Hey Jen…” She said, sitting on the edge of the bed that wasn’t covered in clothes. “Okay, hang on.” She put her hand to the phone’s speaker. “Jen says… party tonight, do you want to go? No pressure.”

Max looked at Rachel for a moment, torn between going and staying home with her. “How long do we have?”

“How long ‘til the party?” She asked into the phone, nodded, then placed her hand over the receiver again. “Four hours. We can go to them early if you want though.”

“We’ll go.” Max shrugged. “But first… I need to do something.” She said, taking her shirt off in front of Rachel, causing the girl to raise her eyebrows.

“Be with you soon.” Rachel said into the phone and hung up, looking at Max suspiciously. “Should I… be… stripping too?” She asked.

“No… but I do need your help with this.” Max said, going into the bathroom and returning with her secret bag. “And I want it done for tonight.”

Rachel opened the bag and looked inside, then at Max, then into the bag once more. A wide smile passed over her face and she nodded. “Okay Max… you’re on. Let’s get started.”

Their week had started off terribly, with lies and secrets causing them to lose one another for a couple of days. But when Max had returned it was like they’d never been apart, and they were also closer for it too. Their shared kiss, the one Max hadn’t rewound, was constantly on Max’s mind as the blonde girl helped her with her plan, even cutting Max’s hair for her when asked.

Rachel’s words had echoed around her mind all day, to change something if she didn’t like it. She wasn’t the same girl who had come back in time to save Rachel. That Max had died trying to save her, died on her knees as the man held her there for the woman to beat until she bit him so hard she tasted blood. That moment where she grabbed his weapon and shot them both dead. She’d been trying to stay that way, as the girl Chloe knew in Arcadia Bay, the sweet innocent girl who had her first kiss with her childhood friend. Who had sex for the first time with that same blue haired girl she missed every single day for the last few months.

When they were done with Max’s plan they got dressed in some of the new clothes they’d bought throughout the day. Rachel opted for black tights under black shorts and knee high boots, along with a blue vest top with her new punk jacket, she also tied her hair back in a ponytail, suiting her wonderfully.

Max picked the ripped black jeans, as was quickly becoming her custom, as well as black sneakers. She picked a black vest top out of their pile of clothes that had a blue butterfly on the back, the item she’d picked because it reminded her of Chloe so brilliantly. She covered her top with an open black jacket, similar to Rachel’s.

She looked in the mirror at herself and sighed, watching as Rachel walked up behind her, placing her hands on her shoulders.

“Punk Princess, I think.” Rachel whispered into her ear.

“To compliment a punk Queen.” Max replied, smiling at the girl.

“Come on, we’re going to be late.” Rachel said, taking Max’s hand and pulling her away from the mirror.

* * *

 

Rachel still couldn’t believe what Max had asked, but when she glanced at the girl as they walked towards Jen’s home she couldn’t help but appreciate the change in her, and admired her for trying it.

She knocked on the front door and waited for the answer, feeling Max’s hand tighten in her own.

“Look who finally showed up!” Jen said as she opened the door before hugging Rachel tightly. “I thought you weren’t going to show. We haven’t seen you in days.”

“You invited us, I wasn’t going to say no.” Rachel grinned. “Jen this…” But Jen cut her off.

“Who is your hot friend? I thought you were bringing Max?” Jen said, glancing at Rachel curiously.

“Jen, this is Max.” Rachel smirked happily, glad the makeover had paid off.

“No… fucking way.” Jen said, looking Max up and down. “You’ve got competition Rach.” She laughed.

“Nice to meet you too.” Max laughed quietly.

Rachel watched as Max was pulled into the house by Jen, the two girls so different in height yet Max’s new black hair and punk outfit made them look awfully similar. She followed the two girls inside, saying hi to Kelly and Brooke who were sat waiting for them to arrive with beers already in hand.

“She looks so different.” Kelly whispered as Rachel sat beside her, both of them watching Max talking to Jen confidently.

“She… wanted a change.” Rachel said, leaning closer to Kelly. “And…”

“She looks damn hot for it.” Brooke said, joining in the conversation. “Like… meow hot.”

“Meow.” Rachel mimicked playfully. “Yeah…”

“You two okay now?” Kelly asked quietly.

Rachel smiled and nodded. “The other night when Jen walked me home… I saw Max.”

“That’s why Jen got home so quick.” Brooke whispered.

“I sent her home, so we could talk… and…” Rachel smiled at the memory, unable to take her eyes off the punk Princess who was still talking to Jen. “We kissed.” She finished.

“Oh… so are you two…?” Kelly started to say but Rachel could only shake her head.

“She’d be cheating if we were…” Rachel said softly. “And I respect her more for not cheating on Chloe. She’s everything I should have been.”

Max and Jen both walked over to the group, with Max sitting beside Rachel on the couch and Jen in one of the chairs.

“When you slow drinkers are finished, we’ll go out.” Jen said, winking at Max and Rachel. “Max definitely needs to blow off some steam.”


	15. The Calm

The party was being held at a large home in Presidio Heights, which they reached by cab. Rachel kept a tight grip on Max’s hand as they walked slightly behind Kelly and Brooke, with Jen ahead of all of them. The party was already in full swing by the sounds of music and laughter inside, and as soon as Jen knocked on the front door there was a small cheer from inside.

“Jen’s here!” Somebody shouted as the door opened and a girl stood back to let them enter.

“Kelly and Brooke too”. Jen said, already taking a drink from the girl who Rachel assumed was her friend.

“Oh, who are these two gorgeous girls?” The girl asked, eyeing up Max and Rachel as they stepped inside.

“The blonde is Rachel, the dark haired babe is Max.” Jen said with a smile as Kelly and Brooke slipped past her into the party. “Rach, Max, this is Kyla. Any problems, tell her!”

“Hi Max, Rachel.” Kyla said, shaking their hands in turn. “Friends of Jen’s are friends of mine.” She laughed. “Make yourselves at home, drinks are in the kitchen, idiots are on the balcony and I’m not cleaning it up if they fall off.”

“Nice to meet you.” Rachel and Max both said in unison, making them smile.

“See? So fucking cute.” Jen said, taking hold of Max’s hand. “Come on, let’s get you both drinks.” She grinned, pulling them away from the front door and towards the kitchen.

“You know so many people.” Rachel laughed, keeping a firm grip on Max’s hand.

“I get on with people, and they invite me out.” Jen shrugged. “Beer? Vodka? Shots?” She said, listing off the alcohol available.

“Beer.” Rachel said with a grin.

“Beer too.” Max shrugged. “I’m not usually one to drink but… it’s a party right?”

“Atta girl.” Jen smirked, taking a couple of beer bottles out of the fridge and putting them in their hands.

The party was loud and rowdy just how Rachel liked it, people were having fun and playing college games in one room, others were throwing things off the balcony for people to catch in the garden and Rachel danced to the music without a care in the world, thinking of the Firewalk show where she ran into Chloe. It brought a smile to her face, but she looked around for Max who was sat talking to Jen on the couch, their feet up on the coffee table. It was strange to see Max in a social situation and looking so relaxed, with a beer bottle in her hand. She had only seen her drink on a very rare occasion and usually it was wine. The two dark haired girls were both talking animatedly, a smile on Max’s sweet face that had been so rare until that day.

Max glanced over at her and their eyes met, a smile on Max’s face as she kept talking to Jen despite keeping eye contact with Rachel. But the contact broke as somebody walked between them and when Rachel could see Max again she’d turned back to talking to Jen properly.

She went back into the kitchen where Brooke had Kelly pinned into the corner of the kitchen counter, their lips locked in a kiss.

“Put her down, you don’t know where she’s been.” Rachel joked as she took another beer from the fridge.

“Oh I know where she’s been.” Brooke joked back, turning away from Kelly who wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s waist from behind.

“We have a bet, and I hope you actually help me win this time.” Kelly said, resting her chin on Brooke’s shoulder.

“Let’s hear it.” Rachel smirked, leaning against the island counter in the centre of the kitchen.

“Don’t get offended… but we’re wondering which one of those two gorgeous girls you’re gonna take home tonight.” Brooke smirked. “Jen is… Jen. We’ve heard you both at night. But… we saw how you were when Max was gone.”

“I’m not…” Rachel huffed, thinking they were insinuating she was a slut.

“No no no…” Kelly quickly said, nudging Brooke aside. “We didn’t mean that babe!”

“We’ve seen how you’re looking at them, and it’s hard to tell which one is catching your eye.” Brooke quickly said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean how it sounded.”

“She’s been drinking, words and her don’t mix.” Kelly said, sounding apologetic.

Rachel eyed them both suspiciously, trying not to take it as an insult after their apologising. “Max said… she won’t stop me seeing Jen, to satisfy a need.” She smirked at her own choice of words. “But…”

“But… you don’t want to risk whatever you might have with Max.” Kelly smiled, moving to lean against the counter with Rachel.

Rachel nodded and shrugged. “I can’t do anything with Max… without… fucking things up for her.”

“Best advice? Don’t fucking worry about it tonight.” Brooke said, leaning against the counter on the other side of Rachel so she was sandwiched between them. “Drink, enjoy yourselves and if something happens… fix it later.”

“Easier said than done.” Rachel sighed, taking a swig from her beer bottle.

“Babe… just stop worrying. Max is enjoying herself, she’s back in your life.” Kelly said, nudging Rachel in the side. “And you both look awesome tonight.” She smiled.

“Come on…” Brooke said, taking Rachel’s hand. “Dance with me, Kelly keeps refusing and we need to get you out of the slump.”

Rachel allowed Brooke to pull her from the kitchen back into the front room where other guests were dancing or chatting. Max and Jen had been joined by Kyla, who was laughing happily with the two dark haired girls Rachel had arrived with. Brooke teasingly turned her head to face her, a smile on her lips.

“You’re dancing with me, remember?” She laughed. “Max isn’t going anywhere.”

Rachel laughed and took a swig of her beer, trying to keep her eyes on the girl she was dancing with instead of Max and Jen. Kelly joined them after a while so the three of them were dancing together, rocking out to the good tunes the host had chosen. Her beer drained she quickly dashed to the kitchen to grab another, smiling at Max on her way who gave her a smile and wave. When she returned to the front room Max was on her feet with Jen, who was showing her how to dance and not just shake her petite hips.

“You need to move more.” Jen laughed, pulling Max around to get her moving. “Loosen up that ass.”

Max turned away and started to laugh as Jen pulled Brooke to them as another participant to show her what she meant.

“Need another model?” Rachel asked, losing her bottle to Max who quickly took it with a wink and took a sip.

“Definitely.” Jen grinned, releasing Brooke who returned to her own laughing girlfriend. “This girl needs to learn how to dance properly.”

“Happy to help.” Rachel smirked, taking her bottle back from Max and taking a swig of her own. “Watch and learn.” She winked.

“I’m watching closely.” Max grinned.

“Watch out Rach, her eyes are on your ass.” Jen teased, placing her own hands on Rachel’s backside.

“Or they’re on yours.” Max teased back, folding her arms across her chest the way Rachel found so endearing.

“Oh… she’s got confidence… I thought you said she was a wallflower?”  Jen said, a smirk pulling at her lips.

“She’s finding her spark.” Rachel grinned, pulling away from Jen’s grip to get Max to dance with her instead.

“I’ll get her another drink.” Jen said, working her way through the dance floor to the kitchen.

“You like her.” Rachel whispered to Max.

“She’s fun.” Max shrugged. “Reminds me of Chloe a little bit… and you.” She added with a smile.

“Now don’t start flirting.” Rachel grinned, losing her bottle once more to the dark haired Max.

“I’m not. I’m just saying what I see.” Max retorted, a cheeky twinkle in her blue eyes.

When Jen returned she handed a new beer bottle to Max, who returned Rachel’s to her. The three of them remained on the dance floor together, still teaching Max how to loosen up to dance. Rachel noticed how close Jen was with Max, laughing as she tried to help the girl. It was really nice to see Max finally cutting loose, losing her good girl attitude and finding another side to herself.

After a few more bottles of beer they sat down for a short while on one of the couches. Max went to put her feet up on the coffee table when Jen grabbed her legs and put them across her and Rachel instead, allowing Max to lounge back with her head on the arm of the couch, a glazed look in her eyes.

“I think she’s almost drunk.” Jen whispered to Rachel.

“You’re telling me.” Rachel whispered back. “She started holding my ass.”

“That’s… not a lie.” Max said, sounding as though she intended to refute the claim. “What was in that bottle?”

“Beer. You drunk dork.” Rachel said, trying not to laugh too loudly.

“I’d like some more.” She said, rolling off the two of them awkwardly and walking into the kitchen, looking as though she was perfectly fine.

“Do you think she’s okay?” Jen asked, leaning forward to watch the kitchen doorway.

“I… honestly don’t know.” Rachel answered, standing up to follow after Max, surprised when the small girl walked back out of the kitchen with another couple of beers in hand.

“One for you.” Max said, handing the beer to Rachel and sitting beside Jen, sipping her own beer.

“Max… you okay?” Rachel asked, sitting beside her.

“I’m good.” Max nodded, her hair flicking in front of her eyes.

Jen laughed but gently brushed the hair from Max’s face, hooking it behind her ear.

“Alright.” Rachel said, keeping a close eye on Max who soon started talking animatedly to Jen again about photography.

There was no slurring of her words, no outwardly apparent motions that Max had drank too much. She was just becoming hyperactive, more open, telling more jokes and poking fun at Rachel or teasing her with Jen.

A while later Jen got up for a bathroom break, leaving Rachel with Max who had leaned against her, taking hold of her right hand with her bandaged left. She was quieter, watching the other party goers laughing. Kelly was sat in a chair with Brooke on her lap not too far away, making out as passionately as they dared in front of so many other people. At one point in her life Rachel would have already grabbed Jen and taken her upstairs to any empty bedroom, but she didn’t feel the same pull to escape from her feelings about Max. She had the girl beside her already, the small pressure of her body and the touch of their hands enough to reassure her of the feelings they felt for each other, especially when Max started running her finger over the palm of her hand again.

“How’re you feeling?” Rachel asked, noticing Max staring at her hand.

“Like I could do something stupid and not give a fuck.” Max answered with a laugh.

“Good place to be.” Rachel chuckled, feeling a buzz from the beer herself.

“Come on you two, let’s dance!” Jen said as she returned, a mischievous expression on her face.

“Again?” Max asked.

“It’s a party, we dance at parties. Come on Rach, you’ll dance with me!” Jen said with a smile.

“You go.” Max smiled, leaning away from Rachel and resting her head on the arm of the couch. “I’m not going anywhere just yet.”

“Alright.” Rachel laughed, taking Jen’s proffered hand to stand up, careful not to spill her beer as she was pulled back to the dance floor.

The alcohol was finally hitting her, all of the beer she had consumed over the night was having its desired effect as she danced carefree with Jen, laughing and being playful as they enjoyed themselves. Max joined them, the alcohol having finally loosened her up to dance so well with them. Rachel and Max finished their own beers between them, with Jen taking the bottles from them and putting them safely on a table out of the way while they all danced together.

Faces blurred, their laughter echoed in her drunken mind. But she was happy, actually fucking happy. She wasn’t escaping anything, she wasn’t running away from anything. People cheered to the music, stamped their feet and the rest of the night was a haze of laughter and excitement.

* * *

 

Rachel squeezed her eyes tightly as she started to wake up, wishing she could return to the wonderful dreams she’d been having. There’d been a stuffed unicorn, beautiful dresses and a hot woman in a corset who had come to her aid, though she couldn’t remember why she was running. Then the headache hit her and she groaned into the pillow, memories of the party flashed before her eyes and she knew she’d drank far too much.

She was becoming more aware of her surroundings by touch, especially the warm body she was in bed alongside. At first it felt normal, the smooth touch of somebody’s warm skin pressed against her own chest. Then her eyes snapped open when she thought she’d had sex with somebody. Before her eyes was a tangle of black hair, but she had no idea who it belonged to, especially now that Max had dyed her hair.

Her heart was beating in her chest as she thought she may have slept with Max, their first time a drunken fiasco rather than the intimacy the girl would have warranted. Looking down the girl’s back, thanks to the midday sunlight filling their apartment, she noticed they were both wearing their bras, easing some of her concern from her mind.

Rolling onto her back to get out of bed she realised her arm was pinned under the girl she’d slept with, keeping her in bed.

“You can stop worrying.” Jen’s voice said from somewhere beyond the body she was sleeping with.

Rachel peered over Max’s prone form at the half dressed Jen, wearing just her underwear in the kitchen area.

“I heard you groan.” She smirked, as though reading Rachel’s mind. “I’ve heard that groan before.”

She carefully slid her arm from beneath Max, allowing her to climb out of bed, noticing how she was also only in her underwear. “How… did we get home?” She asked, quietly tiptoeing around the bed trying not to wake Max.

“Taxi. Not long ago actually.” Jen shrugged, leaning against the kitchen counter with a mug of coffee in her hand. “I slept on the floor, before you ask.” She said, putting the mug on the counter as Rachel approached.

“Thank you.” Rachel said, wrapping her arms around Jen’s waist for a morning hug, something they’d done many times before.

“Least I could do after I got her so drunk.” Jen laughed, kissing Rachel on the forehead.

Rachel yawned and gave Jen a quick kiss on the lips before flicking the switch on the cheap coffee machine.

“Oh we can still do that?” Jen asked curiously, picking up her mug once more.

“Depends on what happened when we got back.” Rachel smirked, leaning against the counter beside Jen.

“Well… all I can remember is getting out of the cab, struggling up the stairs with the drunkard over there and… falling on top of you.” Jen explained with a playful wink. “Lasted about five minutes before we both realised we were too drunk.”

Rachel laughed quietly and nodded her head. “Sounds about right. Why’s Max… as undressed as us?”

“Oh she did that herself when she got into bed… with us I might add.” Jen said, sipping her warm cup.

“Is that why you slept on the floor?” Rachel asked, taking a mug from the cupboard as well as all the necessary items to make a cup of coffee.

“No, I slept on the floor because there wasn’t enough fucking space in that bed. I was quite happy cuddling you.” Jen grinned. “If you, Max and Chloe want to be a big group of sexiness, you’re going to need a bigger fucking bed.”

“I can’t see that happening, unfortunately. Chloe is a… one woman kind of girl.” Rachel said, pouring her coffee.

“How do you know?” Jen asked.

“Because I’m her childhood friend.” Max answered from the bed, brushing her black hair from her eyes. “And it was always just the two of us.”

“And then it was always just Chloe and I.” Rachel said quietly. “We’ve never… been a group like that.”

“Nice to see you’re awake by the way.” Jen said, looking at Max. “Would you like a painkiller?”

“Fuck no… I want to go back to sleep.” Max grumbled, rolling over.

Rachel and Jen both laughed at the girl in the bed. “Get her some orange juice.” Rachel said, pointing to the fridge.

“So… how come you two are living together, if Chloe is up north without you, yet you’ve never hung out as a group?” Jen said, taking a glass from the cupboard and the orange juice from the fridge.

“By circumstance. I wanted to be a model, Max wants to be a professional photographer and build up her portfolio, so Chloe put us in touch and here we are.” Rachel said, ashamed that she had to lie to somebody who had shown both of them nothing but care and trust.

“Sounds legit.” Jen nodded, pouring Max’s glass and putting the carton back in the fridge. “I’m just an outside observer… and I don’t do love… but I’d say if the three of you are able to love each other, where’s the problem?” She said, taking the glass of orange juice and her own mug over to the bed and placing the glass on the side by Max.

“Society.” Rachel shrugged. “I doubt any of our parents would agree.”

“Fuck ‘em.” Jen shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Who cares who you love? Just love, be fucking happy, life’s too short to lose time over it.”

Max rolled over once more and reached for the orange juice, muttering a small “Thanks” to Jen.

“As for your parents… mine disowned me when I told them I was gay.” Jen admitted freely. “If your parents can’t accept you for who you are… fuck them too. We are who we are, again…”

“Life is too short.” Max said, staring at Rachel with a strange look in her blue eyes.

“Max has already caught on.” Jen grinned, putting an arm around Max as she sat up with her glass.

“My head really hurts.” She mumbled.

“Want that painkiller now?” Rachel asked with a grin on her face.

“Yes please.” Max said, taking a sip of her drink.

Rachel took the painkillers they stored in one of the cupboards, as well as her cup of coffee, and returned to the bed. She sat down beside Max and pulled the covers over her legs, handing the painkillers to Max who quickly took a couple. Jen repositioned herself at the foot of the bed between their legs, sipping happily from her coffee.

“Did Kelly and Brooke get back okay?” Rachel asked, thinking of the two other girls they’d gone out with.

“Yeah, had a text from them this morning. They said it was great to meet you Max.” Jen answered.

“Please tell them it was nice to meet them too… and I hope we all hang out more often.” Max said, sinking down the bed with her orange juice in her hands.

“Oh that’s for certain.” Rachel said quickly. “Last night was great, even if I only remember half of it.”

“You remember more than me.” Max grinned slightly, taking a sip from her glass.

“What do you remember?” Jen asked.

“A lot of drinking, dancing… and the last thing was… kissing… I don’t know.” Max shrugged. “Oh shit, did I kiss somebody?!” She sounded so shocked.

“You kissed Rach when you got into bed, then passed out. Barely even a kiss.” Jen laughed.

“That’s right!” Rachel said, recalling some of the nights events. “Then you said you could beat it and I challenged you to try!”

“And we both barely got past a kiss.” Jen laughed.

“I was wasted…” Rachel laughed. “But then… Max was out for the count.”

“Don’t remind me.” Max groaned, making both Rachel and Jen laugh.

* * *

 

The August month passed by quickly taking them into September when Rachel knew Max would celebrate her birthday. It would be the second time this Max celebrated her eighteenth birthday, which had caused a debate between the two of them as to whether that meant she was actually nineteen now. In the end they decided they’d let Chloe decide, because they couldn’t decide between them and nobody else knew about Max’s powers.

When the day actually arrived, the day started off just as Rachel had planned it. She cooked a breakfast for Max, told her she’d made plans for the day with Jen, Kelly and Brooke and then when they were dressed and ready to go, Max had held out a black blindfold and smirked.

Rachel hated being blindfolded, it was the lack of control she felt, the darkness pressing in on all sides that reminded her of the dark room. But she trusted Max, and the birthday girl had insisted on her wearing a blindfold. She felt the car they were in stop and the warm air against the side of the face as the door beside her was opened.

“Alright gorgeous, out you get.” A familiar voice said, taking hold of her hand to help her out of the car.

“Jen?” She asked curiously.

“The one and only.” The girl laughed, keeping hold of Rachel’s hand.

“Why are you here? Where is here?” She said, feeling another person take her other hand.

“Stop asking so many questions.” Max said from beside her, confirming it was her who held Rachel’s other hand.

“I’m blindfolded, I’m going to ask questions.” She hissed as she heard the seagulls and the waves. “We’re near the Bay.” She said, a smirk on her lips.

“Good guess, now stop playing the guessing game and hold on to us.” Jen teased.

Rachel followed their touch, walking along beside the two girls she trusted with her life. She could hear the waves getting closer, the bell of something but she wasn’t sure what. Max was being really gentle guiding her forward.

“Ahoy!” Rachel heard another girl call out.

“Took you long enough!” Another voice said.

“Watch your step.” Max said kindly, holding onto Rachel a little more firmly as her foot knocked against something.

All of a sudden her footing became unstable, uncertain as whatever she stepped on was moving. Then realisation dawned, she was on a boat. She allowed them to guide her to something soft under her touch, turning her around and sitting her down carefully.

“You got her?” Jen asked.

“Mhm, I’ll handle this bit.” Max said.

“What bit?” Rachel asked.

“Just… stop asking questions.” Max laughed, her voice sounding a lot closer.

The blindfold was carefully removed from her eyes so she was looking into Max’s pretty blue eyes, a smile on the dark haired girls face.

“So… you tried to make plans behind my back.” Max said, gently stroking Rachel’s cheek. “Except… I may have beaten you to it.”

“What’s going on?” Rachel asked, trying to turn her head but Max stopped her.

“Well, Jen and I have been plotting this for a couple of weeks, so when you asked her to help you surprise me… we decided to turn the tables. This was what you and I were going to do on your birthday, before everything went to shit.” Max said, smiling all the while. “We’re on a yacht, and we’re going out into the bay.” She explained. “And we’re spending the night on it too.”

“How… did you afford this if…”

“Jen chipped in, and so did Kelly, and Brooke. They agreed you deserved something really nice.” Max said, standing up straight.

Rachel had a chance to look around at the small yacht she was sat on, and covered her mouth in surprise. Kelly and Brooke were both sitting on the deck in life jackets, while Jen was wearing her own and talking to the Captain.

“So… happy belated birthday.” Max said.

Rachel almost jumped out of her seat as she rushed to hug Max. But she didn’t stop there, she placed a kiss on the girl’s lips too, something Max seemed only too eager to return.

“Alright, put each other down.” Jen said. “Shit, we can’t take you two anywhere without emotions getting high.”

“You’d be doing the same thing to Rachel given a chance.” Kelly shouted, her arm around Brooke’s waist.

“Fucking smartasses.” Jen said, handing a couple of life jackets to Max and Rachel. “Like the Captain showed us Max.” She winked.

When their vests were tied properly and the Captain had checked them, the yacht’s engine was started and they were off into the Bay. Max and Rachel sat at the fore of the yacht on the edge, holding onto the ropes so they didn’t fall into the sea. Max had carefully secured her camera to a strap around her neck, but left the bag below deck. Rachel spent as much time admiring the girl beside her as the view of the Bay.

“This… doesn’t ruin our return to Arcadia, does it?” She asked quietly as they sat together.

“I sorted that out last month.” Max admitted. “One more big bet, see us through to the end.”

“You’re… not upset about having to do that?” Rachel asked, leaning on the railing to look at Max’s sweet face.

“It was one more time, and it gets us back to Chloe.” Max said, leaning against Rachel so she would put her arm around her waist. “She’s worth it.”

“I know.” Rachel said, resting her head on Max’s. “We’re almost there.”

They lapsed into silence, enjoying the sound of the waves and the view of the Bay around them. Rachel was so happy to be away from Arcadia Bay, yet she felt herself being called back to the place that had almost killed her. She turned to Max.

“I want to go back… during the week of the storm.” She said quietly. “I… need to see it, I need to see the decision you made, to understand it best.”

“I knew you were going to ask that.” Max sighed, but nodded. “Alright… but no interference. That’s the rule. Everything has to happen, as it happens.”

“We won’t interfere.” Rachel agreed.

“I can’t risk Chloe… or you.” Max said quietly. “I… can’t lose either of you now, not after everything I’ve been through.”

“You won’t lose us.” Rachel said, kissing her forehead gently. “We follow your rules, all the way.”

The day progressed with everybody in good spirits, despite their coming return to Arcadia Bay. Instead of dwelling on it they laughed and joked with their friends, sharing wine and a meal with the people who had made the last couple of months far more bearable than the months before them.

Jen raised a glass of wine, getting everybody’s attention with a cough. “So… we said no speeches, but I’m doing this one, so shut up.” Everybody laughed. “Max… we’ve not known you for long, but you’re an absolute fucking blast. You’re going to make an awesome photographer, and I’ll pose for you naked anytime! So… to Max.”

“To Max.” Everybody chorused, making Max blush.

“But… we’re also here for Rachel, who was like a little tornado in our lives and introduced us to Max. So… to Rachel.”

“To Rachel.” Everybody said. This time it was Rachel’s turn to blush.

“Finally… I hope we all see many more of each others birthdays. So… to good friends.”

“To good friends.” Everybody laughed, drinking from their wine glasses.

Max leaned against Rachel once more as Kelly sat down beside them, giving them each a small hug in turn.

“Thanks for this.” Rachel said to her with a smile.

“You’re welcome, both of you.” Kelly said, returning the smile. “I know it’s probably been weird for you Max, seeing Jen with Rach after everything.”

“She’s a big girl.” Max shrugged. “I don’t exactly have the rights to Rachel’s body.”

“Would you like them?” Rachel teased, making Kelly laugh.

“Can I have the rights to Jen’s as well?” Max winked playfully.

“You can’t afford them.” Jen shouted. “But you can rent it!”

Everybody laughed once more. Rachel was glad Max wasn’t showing the green eyed monster she’d warned her about, but she did feel Max’s bandaged hand in her own once more. A small possessive gesture that she didn’t mind at all.

As the sun began setting over the Bay, Max and Rachel returned to the fore of the yacht to enjoy the golden hour, Max’s camera held tightly in her hands to capture the moment. They sat together, watching the suns slow descent into the ocean.

“I love this time of day.” Rachel said. “So many… memories. We’d sit on the beach and watch it go down together. “ She sighed, thinking of her best friend who was still alone, despite a Max being in Arcadia Bay at that moment.

“Chloe and I used to watch it from the lighthouse, and get into trouble for it.” Max smiled, leaning into Rachel. “When… the storm visions start, we’ll watch another one together.”

“And when we all leave Arcadia Bay in a few weeks… we’ll watch them together, until they no longer interest us.” Rachel said, smirking at the thought. “We’ll sit in the bed of Chloe’s truck, a blanket over the three of us, and we’ll fall asleep together.”

“She’s going to love our place here.” Max said, pulling her knees up to her chest. “But she’ll want to add her own graffiti to it.”

“We’re not going to LA instead?” Rachel asked, brushing Max’s black hair over her ear.

“We’ll go wherever we all want to go. LA, New York, Miami… but we need to come back here first.” Max said, turning her head towards Rachel, their noses barely an inch apart. “It… might help for her to see how we’ve got by.”

Max’s breath on her face brought about the same feelings she felt so often when in close proximity to her. But they didn’t act on it, not like Rachel’s earlier excitement at the surprise. They’d had weeks of trying to control their impulses. Instead, as a small gesture of how they felt, they gently touched noses and foreheads. Rachel always closed her eyes, hoping Max understood just how she felt.

“Just kiss.” Jen hissed from somewhere behind them, then laughed as she sat beside them. “Sorry, had to ruin your moment.”

“Not ruined.” Max smiled, turning her head towards the girl who had joined them. “Improved.”

“For now.” Rachel added as a tease.

“Well fuck you too, I’ll go back to Kelly.” Jen said, feigning insult.

“Don’t you dare. You’re here now.” Max laughed, pulling Jen towards them.

“I’m glad somebody cares about me.” Jen teased, putting an arm around Max as well.

“Thanks for this gift Jen.” Rachel said, leaning across Max to pat Jen’s leg. “I appreciate it.”

“It was no problem.” Jen said with a smile. “I just hope after you’ve gone to get Chloe… you come back to us for a bit.”

“Definitely the plan.” Rachel said, smiling at Max who smiled back.


	16. Before

Planning for their trip to Arcadia Bay took more work than Max liked. She had to cast her memory back to the events of that week and tried to draw a comprehensive timeline of events from memory. Unfortunately she had no idea where Chloe went when Max wasn’t with her, leaving massive holes in their plan. They couldn’t risk being spotted by anybody, and while Max had her powers to rewind them out of any trouble, she had no idea how that would affect her other self. 

While she worked on their plan Rachel had started packing some of their clothes, enough for a week and a few days on the road between Arcadia Bay and San Francisco if they stopped anywhere. When Rachel mentioned the return journey Max almost panicked, she hadn’t plotted out anything that she and Chloe had done after the destruction of Arcadia Bay, which could have been catastrophic if they ran into each other on their journey south.

“This is really risky.” Max said, taking another piece of paper from Rachel’s sketchbook and trying to remember where they stayed and on what day.

“I know…” Rachel answered as she packed one of their bags with some clothes, they no longer knew which item belonged to who, having stopped keeping track as the clothes fit and suited both of them

“No… it’s really risky. I’m supposed to be here to save you, keep you safe, and we’re talking about going into danger.” Max looked round at Rachel. “I… don’t feel right taking you into that.”

“I know.” Rachel said, leaving the bags on the bed to stand behind Max, wrapping her arms around her neck while she worked. “But I’m willing to take the risk, if only to… try to understand what you and Chloe go through.”

“Rach, I don’t know what’s going to happen when my powers activate. Whether I’ll lose mine, or if I’ll have access to them. If I can’t use them and we get into trouble… I don’t want to risk it.” Max said, turning in her chair as Rach knelt on the floor beside her.

“You said the tornado doesn’t happen until the Friday.” Rachel said, taking hold of Max’s bandaged hand. “So… we don’t need to travel up there until wednesday, maybe thursday. Then we check into a hotel and…”

“We watch Arcadia burn…” Max said, looking at her left hand. “I don’t… know if I can watch it again.” She muttered sadly.

Rachel looked at her sadly but nodded. “I will be with you whatever choice you make, we can stay here, or we can go.” She said, placing her other hand to Max’s cheek and wiping away a tear that had managed to slip through. 

“Let’s plan for either.” Max said, trying to sound hopeful.

“Okay.” Rachel smiled, standing up and removing her touch from Max’s face. A touch she had started to miss when it was gone.

Rachel returned to packing their bags while Max wracked her brain for everything she could remember from almost six months ago, or a few weeks into the future. It was starting to hurt her head again. She started trying to scratch her left hand again, but the bandage deterred her. Rachel had become tired of removing the bandage for Max to start scratching it again and not letting it heal properly, opening more lines in her skin in the process, and decided to leave it on when Max wasn’t under her watchful gaze. It was having its desired effect though, Max was scratching it less often.

She was nearing the end of her timeline, her trip to San Francisco with Chloe, when she realised that was when they were at the most risk of crossing their own path. They had toured some of the parks and Vista Point before returning to Arcadia Bay, but she couldn’t remember what order they had visited the different places.

“I should have done this sooner.” She complained, leaning on her right hand as she looked at the timeline drawn out before her. “I’ve forgotten so much, and I can’t use my pictures to try to remember.”

“It’ll come back to you.” Rachel said, carefully folding up one of their vest tops. “You… just need to relax.”

“It’s a week before the storm, I don’t have time.” Max argued, throwing the pen across the table and turning in her chair to watch Rachel instead.

“You’re a fucking time traveller, you have time.” Rachel laughed, putting Max’s wash out hair dye in one of the bags.

“Good point.” Max smirked. “Think I should make it permanent?” She asked, trying to take her mind off it as instructed.

“Your hair? Only if you like it. But once it’s in… you’ll have to let the black grow out.” Rachel said, folding another shirt. “It’s what Jen would have to do.”

“Hers isn’t natural?” Max asked, making Rachel laugh and shake her head. Then Max understood how Rachel knew. “Oh…”

“Shouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want to know.” Rachel said with a grin, throwing a pair of socks at Max.

Rather than follow that conversation any further, Max tried to change topic. “What do you think, about what Jen said, with the three of us?” She said, the first time they’d talked about their future with Chloe.

“Oh…” Rachel stopped folding clothes and looked at Max, a strange look in her hazel eyes. “I…” She sat down on the bed and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what Chloe wants, and I don’t want to put my hopes on her wanting the same thing as we do.”

“But do you think… if she does, then maybe…?” Max asked tentatively, trying not to pin her own hopes on Rachel’s answer. 

“It’s a big change for her Max. We’ve lived together for six months… she’s barely had you back in her life for three weeks… and after everything I did…” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, hooking it behind her ear, the blue feather was still missing after all this time.

“I know.” Max said, standing up and pacing the bottom of the bed. “We had planned to make a fresh start together, but I can’t see a future without you with us too.”

Rachel grabbed her right wrist to stop her pacing and pulled her close, wrapping her arms around Max’s waist to keep her from moving. “I won’t go anywhere Max, I’ve told you that.”

“But if we keep feeling this way for each other… if we still…”

“Max... I know how you feel… I know exactly how you feel.” Rachel said gently. “We’ll find a way, all three of us, okay?”

Trying hard not to think about the next three weeks, Max nodded her head. She knew if they ended up anywhere near Arcadia Bay they were going to have their own problems to deal with, without worrying about the future they may not have if anything went wrong.

* * *

 

The alarm rang loudly beside her on the bedside table, their wake up alarm to start getting ready to leave for Portland. Max rolled over sluggishly and tapped the phone screen to turn off the alarm, then rolled back into the warmth of Rachel’s body. Neither of them had been sleeping on the floor since the party, the sleeping bag had remained unused on the floor with some of their clothes on it and old pictures of the two of them around San Francisco.

It was only the sunday before Max’s powers activated, but she had wanted to get a headstart on it in case anything went wrong with her own abilities. They’d told their friends a week ago that they were going on a small trip when Kelly had said they could borrow her car for the week, on the condition they returned it with a full tank of gas and no tickets. Jen had even offered to accompany them as an extra model, though understood when Rachel gave her a sly wink about their intentions. Max didn’t like lying to their friends like this, but her time travel powers had remained a secret so far and she was afraid of letting it slip so close to the end.

“I don’t want to go.” Max muttered, keeping her eyes closed.

“Then we won’t go.” Rachel mumbled. “It means I get more time in bed.” 

Max smiled as she felt Rachel roll towards her and wrap an arm around her to hold her close, the closeness they’d been sharing more openly without being ashamed. Chloe was always on Max’s mind, but she couldn’t take the thought of being so close to her without being able to do or say anything. 

“What would you like to do instead?” Rachel murmured, nestling up against Max in her sleepy state. 

“Sleep a little longer.” Max whispered, feeling the sleep overtaking her once more.

“I like the sound of that.” Rachel responded.

When Max woke up a while later she rolled over to check the time on her phone, noting they’d slept until a little after midday. Rachel was still sound asleep, turned towards Max with a soft smile on her face. It was a strange feeling to look upon somebody that wasn’t Chloe and feel so glad that they were there. At times she felt like she was betraying Chloe, but she also couldn’t believe somebody else could care about her in such a way. She’d spent so much of her life alone, looking at the world through the lens of a camera instead of interacting with people, that having two people who felt about her in such a way was surprising. 

She slowly climbed out of bed and stretched, looking around at their apartment. It had changed so much from the very simple room when she had first started renting it for them, no questions asked thanks to a hefty sum of money. The collage of photographs and sketches above the table almost took the entire length of the wall now, from their early days when they looked so sad, simply existing, to their more fun memories which also included pictures and sketches of Kelly, Brooke and especially Jen. 

The dark haired girl featured in them a lot, a natural beauty like Rachel who was so open and lively. Rachel and Jen looked so happy in some of the pictures, blowing kisses to the person holding the camera in one, pulling poses with the peace sign in others. Then there were the pictures of Max, sandwiched between them, all of them sticking their tongues out at whoever had taken the picture for them. Thanks to Rachel’s earlier state they had met a group of awesome friends, who had been great even through their own troubles. 

Max made her way into the bathroom to attend to her normal wake up routine, only exiting with a brush in her mouth to find a towel and noticed Rachel was awake, stretching in bed with just her underwear and vest top on.

“‘Ey S’eepy” Max said through a mouthful of toothpaste.

“Hey yourself.” Rachel smirked. “Any idea what you’d like to do?”

Max shook her head, then held up a finger as she rushed into the bathroom to rinse. She left her towel in there and returned to Rachel who had made her way over to the kitchen and was already filling two glasses with orange juice.

“I don’t know what to do.” Max admitted, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Well… we still have places we could see in San Francisco. We have Kelly’s car for a week, so as long as we look after it we could go to LA.” The girl suggested, passing Max a glass of juice.

“I meant about Arcadia.” Max said, placing the glass on the counter behind her and starting to undo the bandage on her hand.

“You can’t force yourself to go.” Rachel said gently, opening one of the cupboards and pulling out a bag of bagels Jen had left behind when she stayed over a few days ago while Kelly and Brooke had some private time.

“But you want to see it, you want that closure for the shit you went through too.” Max argued, flexing her hand to see how the deep scratches were healing.

“You’re trying to convince yourself with that argument.” Rachel grinned, taking out a couple of plates. “We have two days, before you need to decide.” She said, taking cream cheese from the fridge.

“I know…” Max nodded, leaving her hand alone to watch Rachel spread the cheese over their bagels.

Max was taken by surprise as Rachel turned to put the cheese away, instead taking a small amount on her little finger and wiping it on Max’s nose. She jumped back in shock at first, then glared at her.

“Oh, we’re playing that game again are we?” She grinned, taking some of the cheese on her finger. “I seem to recall I won last time.”

“You wish.” Rachel laughed, ducking away from Max as she tried to wipe the cheese on her nose.

Max chased her around the apartment, trying to get her revenge. In the end she managed to pin Rachel in a corner and struggled to get the girl’s hands away from her face as she laughed at Max’s poor attempts. In the end Rachel did the unthinkable and licked the cheese from her finger, laughing at Max’s shocked expression

“That’s cheating.” Max said, poking her in the sides in mock frustration.

“Loser.” Rachel laughed, sticking her tongue out and trying to avoid Max’s fingers.

Max wiped the cheese from her nose and quickly wiped it across Rachel’s forehead with a laugh. “Winner.” She sniggered happily.

Slowly Max moved away from Rachel, their playfulness having enticed her emotions. It was like living with a constant state of desire, always under the surface waiting to pounce when her guard was down. Her heart was pounding as they returned to the kitchen for their food, an unsaid agreement to not let their emotions affect them. 

“So…” Rachel said, taking her plate and glass to the table. “Should we invite Jen over? Get her to keep an eye on us?” She smirked.

“You know what she’d say.” Max laughed, joining Rachel and pushing the laptop to one side so she had the space to eat.

“Just kiss.” Rachel whispered, imitating Jen whenever she spotted them close together.

“She wouldn’t stop us…” Max grinned, thinking of the look on Jen’s face even if they were to kiss.

“You’re right, she’d want to join in.” Rachel chuckled.

“Have you ever…” Max started to say, making Rachel look at her curiously. “Had a threesome?” She finished. “With Jen or… anybody?”

“No.” Rachel answered with a small shake of her head. “I’ve never even considered it before…” She smiled gently at Max. “Just shows you’re special.”

Max knew she was blushing and didn’t know what else to say to Rachel’s statement, instead finishing her meal in silence. She noticed Rachel was glancing at her regularly, a mischievous look in her hazel eyes, the same look she got when she was planning something.

* * *

 

Whatever Rachel was planning, Max still hadn’t discovered even when they went to the park for a while in the evening. The blonde girl had brought her sketch pad and pencils with her in Max’s camera bag but hadn’t yet taken them out, content to lounge on a small blanket and appreciate the view of the city with Max. 

“What are you doing right now, in Arcadia?” Rachel asked, rolling onto her side to talk to Max.

“It’s sunday… so… I was trying to do my homework, because I left it til late.” She said, trying to think back to that insignificant day. “Nothing important happens until tomorrow.” 

“You save Chloe, and set the events in motion to save me.” Rachel said, absently running a finger over Max’s left hand, touching the scratches in her skin.

She nodded and allowed a small smile to pull at her lips. “I don’t regret it, before you ask.”

“Is SuperMax finally getting used to her gifts?” Rachel smiled up at her.

“No. But I wouldn’t trade Chloe, or you.” Max answered, once again brushing Rachel’s hair over her ear. They really needed to get her a new earring, not the studs she wore to keep her piercings open.

“Hey love birds.” A girl called over, making them both look around to see Kelly and Brooke approaching. 

“Hey!” Rachel said, sitting up and giving the two girls a hug when they sat beside them.

“Hi.” Max smiled, also hugging the two girls.

“I thought you were off on your trip?” Kelly asked, crossing her legs as she sat with them.

“Max wasn’t feeling well, we’re making sure she isn’t about to start throwing up in your car.” Rachel smirked. Max smiled appreciatively at her quick thinking, because it wasn’t a complete lie. 

“If you’re not leaving today, you should come over, stay the night.” Brooke said, flicking the latch on Max’s bag absently.

“Uhm…” Max looked between the two girls, but Kelly quickly spoke.

“We didn’t want to put a downer on your trip, but tomorrow is the day Liz…” She said, glancing at Rachel. “It’s why…”

“That’s why Jen wanted to come with us.” Rachel nodded, understanding something Max didn’t. “Jen and Liz were together, and Liz… passed away.” She quickly added, noticing Max’s confused expression.

“Oh shit.” Max mumbled, her curiosity peaking but trying to respect the privacy of the girl who had been such a good friend to her.

“Yeah. And she’s tried to escape it every year, parties harder.” Brooke explained quietly. “Having you two over… between the four of us, we should be able to look after her.”

“She’s becoming more of a handful.” Kelly shrugged. “Last year we lost track of her and she ended up… in a bad place.” She said sadly.

“You should have told us when we started making our plans.” Max said sympathetically. “Of course, we’ll come over.”

“Thanks… and don’t worry about returning the car until you’ve decided about your trip. If you don’t go though, I want it back!” Kelly grinned, giving Max another hug.

“We should get the food for tonight.” Brooke said, getting to her feet. “More people to feed.”

“Yeah. We’ll see you soon babes.” Kelly said, kissing Rachel on the cheek before standing up.

They watched the two girls walk across the park, hand in hand before Rachel looked at Max with a smile on her face, a soft expression in her eyes. It was a look that made her heart melt, especially when they were so close together. 

“We’re going to Jen’s tonight then?” Rachel said, lying back on their blanket and rolling towards Max once more.

“Looks like it.” Max nodded, wondering if she should ask for more details.

Rachel seemed to be able to read her mind though. “She told me a while ago, when you and I were… struggling.” She said gently, never taking her hazel eyes off Max. “And I can see why she suffers. Chloe isn’t gone yet I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Max smiled and nodded, getting more comfortable on their blanket. “I know that feeling too.” She said, trying to think of how difficult it must be for Jen. “I… can really understand it.” She whispered, thinking of how she felt walking through the streets of Arcadia Bay looking for just one picture to save Chloe’s life.

“Storm week.” Rachel said, taking hold of Max’s left hand. “This week.”

“I didn’t know it at the time, but if lost Chloe, if I gave you both up now… I’d probably end up like Jen, except without the wonderful people to keep me sane…” She said, wiping a tear from her eye at the mere thought of living a life without either of them.

“You won’t lose us Max, stop worrying.” Rachel sat up and pulled Max to lean into her, running a hand through her dark hair.

“I know. I’m trying.” She said with a small smile, putting her own arms around Rachel. “This helps.” She whispered, making Rachel chuckle.

“Damn right it does, I’m awesome to hug.” Rachel grinned playfully. Max tried not to say what she was thinking, instead relaxing into the arms of the person she cared for.

They returned to their apartment some time later to change and pack an overnight bag, emptying one of the bags they’d packed onto the sleeping bag to make it easier to repack if Max changed her mind again. Rachel didn’t seem to mind the uncertainty, respecting Max’s wishes, but she always wondered if the girl would suddenly take the car to look for herself, with or without Max. Whatever Rachel had been planning before they'd met Kelly and Brooke in the park seemed to have been forgotten, leaving Max to wonder just what went through the girls mind sometimes.  


Ready to go out for the night they left their apartment and walked through the park on their way to Jen’s. Rachel had the bag over her shoulder while Max had the camera bag with her camera and Rachel’s sketchpad inside.

When they arrived at their friends home they quickly made themselves at home, kicking their shoes off by the door while Rachel took their overnight bag up to Jen’s room. The dark haired girl was sat on the couch with her back against the arm, nursing a bottle of beer, with a sad look in her normally cheerful eyes. Max sat beside her and put Jen’s legs over her own, getting a small smile from the girl.

“Hey you.” Max said, taking hold of one of Jen’s hands.

“Hey yourself gorgeous.” Jen said, forcing a grin. “Didn’t make it on your trip then?”

“Not yet.” She shrugged, keeping a firm grip on Jen’s hand. “Kinda glad we didn’t at the moment.” She added.

“So you could see grumpy Jen?” The girl said, shaking her head and taking a sip from her beer.

“No.” Max said, accepting a beer from Kelly as the girl entered the living room. “So I could see my friend.” She smiled, giving her a gentle nudge. 

“Good save.” Jen smiled weakly, clinking their bottles together. “These two fun fuckers won’t let me go out tonight.” She said, glancing at Kelly who had sat on the chair beside them.

“You know what happened last time.” Kelly said, pulling her feet up under her. “I don’t want to find you like that again.”

“I’m a big girl Kel.” Jen grumbled, sipping from her beer.

“What happened last time?” Max asked, looking at Kelly for the answer.

“You want to know my darkest secrets Max? Ask me.” Jen said, sounding annoyed but keeping a hold on Max’s hand.

“Alright… what happened?” She asked again, keeping her eyes on Jen’s.

Before Jen could answer Rachel was coming down the stairs with Brooke, stopping the girl from explaining. Rachel sat beside Max, moving Jen’s legs once more so she had them both pinned on the sofa, while Brooke wandered into the kitchen, returning with two more bottles of beer, one for herself and the other for Rachel.

“Now that every fucker is settled for story time.” Jen said icily. “I got fucked up, okay?”

“By fucked up she means we found her drugged out of her mind on the doorstep.” Kelly said sadly. “We thought we were going to lose you.”

“Well I lived, didn’t I?” Jen said, taking another sip from her bottle. 

“Barely.” Brooke offered, sounding just as sad as Kelly.

“We already lost one friend babe, we can’t lose you too.” Kelly said, leaning over to place her hand on Jen’s shoulder.

“I wasn’t… fucking trying, okay?” Jen argued, shaking her head in annoyance. “I just wanted to… fucking…”

“Stop thinking.” Rachel said, causing everybody to look at her. “I know that feeling, remember?”

“Yeah.” Jen nodded, a look of understanding passing between them. “Then… I guess all I can say is… distract me? Be my friends and distract me?” 

“That’s why we’re here.” Max said, leaning against Jen a little more and pulling Rachel with her. “You’re not alone.”

“Get the food and the cards then.” Jen said, forcing another smile.

Throughout the night Max stayed pinned between Jen and Rachel, even when they played games of Poker. She couldn’t bluff worth a damn though, so eventually gave up trying and lost all her caps on the next hand. Completely out of the game, she leaned against Jen, watching her play her hands against the other three girls. Rachel moved into the other corner of the couch so Max couldn’t peak at her cards, keeping the game interesting as they played for bottle caps which seemed to be in abundance. 

Jen shifted round to allow Max to get a little closer, hooking her arm around the smaller girl as they played their next hand together. It gave Max a chance to stretch out on the couch and felt Rachel place a hand on her lower leg. The three of them were extremely comfortable together, laughing at bad plays and jokes as the game went on into the night.

“You know you should be over here helping me.” Rachel said with a wink. “Team Amber, remember?”

“She wants to be team Jen, I’m just that pretty.” Jen laughed, poking Rachel with her foot.

“Team Kelly!” Kelly shouted, sipping from her beer bottle.

“I’m not even going to ask.” Brooke sniggered, shaking her head. “Max likes her place between Rach and Jen.”

“Oh we noticed that.” Kelly chuckled as Jen snuggled Max a little closer to her.

“Don’t get jealous girls.” Jen sniggered, sounding a little more playful than she had been earlier.

“I’ll steal her back later.” Rachel grinned, winking at Max and sinking into her corner of the couch to hide her cards better.

“I’ll play you for her.” Jen laughed. “Next hand, Max is on the table.”

“I am not!” Max laughed, sipping her beer from her fourth bottle that night.

“Deal!” Rachel said, ignoring Max’s protest.

“Do I get a say?” Max asked incredulously.

“No.” The four other girls all said at once, falling about laughing at the synchronicity of their put down.

Max slumped back against Jen, waiting for the current hand to finish before she was to be played for. Rachel kept winking at her over her cards, while Jen merely smirked as they finished their hand.

“New drinks please!” Jen said, holding her bottle out for Kelly who had been getting the refills.

“Lazy.” Kelly said, kissing Jen’s forehead as she walked past. 

“So what am I worth? If you’re playing for me?” Max asked, flicking her hair from her eyes. “And am I expected to do… anything?” She said, concern evident in her voice.

“You don’t have to do anything, just a bit of fun.” Jen said, giving Max a gentle squeeze. “I think we’re going to find out just what you’re worth if somebody goes all in though.” She grinned.

“I’d say best two out of three…” Rachel added as Kelly returned from the kitchen with five bottles.

“Alright, I have an idea. You have to win three hands, total. Winner gets the beautiful and inspirational Max.” Jen said, kissing Max on the side of the head playfully before accepting her refill from Kelly.

“Sounds good to me.” Rachel smirked, accepting her bottle from Kelly.

* * *

 

When Max woke up in the morning she felt the press of bodies on either side of her and allowed a small laugh to escape her lips as the memory of the night returned to her. Nobody had expected it when it happened, Rachel and Jen had both won two hands and were struggling to close the third hand, betting back and forth until they were both all in. It ended up as a chopped pot, it was a draw. At first Kelly said they should play another hand, but Jen and Rachel had both agreed to sharing Max instead, squashing the smaller girl between them playfully. 

Now she was between the two of them in Jen’s bed, still fully clothed, with Rachel’s arm around her waist and Jen’s on her shoulder. They hadn’t got too drunk, and there were no blank spaces in her memory, but she was glad to see Rachel beside her. Jen looked so peaceful asleep, especially after admitting what she went through this time of year. Max couldn’t help but feel sorry for the girl that seemed so full of life. To lose her girlfriend that clearly meant so much to her that she refused to love another. She wondered if there were any moments where Jen felt she was getting too close and cut the person off, trying to maintain that commitment to the girl she had lost.

“Morning…” Rachel said sleepily, nuzzling Max’s shoulder softly.

“It’s probably not morning.” Max whispered, waiting for Rachel to let her up.

“You’re right… it’s probably afternoon.” The girl smirked, stretching and finally removing her arm from over Max’s waist.

Rachel slipped out of the bed and Max cautiously removed Jen’s arm from her shoulder, following after Rachel who was already leaving the bedroom. Quietly they slipped downstairs to find Kelly already in the kitchen in her pyjamas, yawning and stretching as she waited for the coffee machine.

“Afternoon.” Kelly mumbled.

“Hey.” Rachel said, opening one of the cupboards for a couple of glasses.

“Hi.” Max smiled at how at home they felt with the other girls to know where they kept things.

“Jen still asleep?” She asked, sounding a little concerned.

“Out cold.” Max answered, taking the orange juice from the fridge and passing it to Rachel.

“That won’t last.” Kelly smiled. “She… might be a bit weird today.”

“We’re here for you all.” Rachel said, pouring out a couple of glasses of orange juice for herself and Max, then passed the carton back to Max who put it back in the fridge.

“We really appreciate it, you have no idea.” Kelly took three mugs and laid them out, then ran her hand through her pink and blonde hair.

They remained with Kelly while she made up the three cups of coffee, then indicated the one on the right. “For Jen, if you’re both going back up?”

“Yeah, sure.” Rachel said, taking her glass and the mug.

“I’m going to take this to Brooke… and wake her ass up.” Kelly said, giving Max a wink.

When they returned to Jen’s room the girl was already awake, sat up in bed with a small picture in her hands, which she quickly stuffed back into the bedside table when they entered.

“Thanks.” She said, taking the mug from Rachel.

Max resisted her snooping nature and sat on the edge of the bed with her glass of orange juice, aware of the dark haired girl watching her. Rachel gave a small shrug and sat beside Jen, taking hold of the girls hand.

“You remind me of her.” Jen said sadly to Max. “She was a little taller than you, but… she had a great fucking eye for art.”

“She sounds awesome.” Max said, trying to sound comforting.

“She was a pain in the ass.” Jen laughed. The laughter failed to reach her eyes, which were filled with sadness. “You have no idea how many times I had to clear away her photographs.”

“I may have some idea.” Rachel winked at Max who blushed a little bit.

“You two… are so fucking lucky.” Jen said, putting her mug down and wiping a tear from her eye. “You’ve got each other… and another person who you both love so much.”

“It’s fucking torture.” Max said, moving up the bed to sit cross legged between them both.

“Oh yeah, especially with my sex drive.” Rachel mumbled, looking away from them both.

Jen let out a small snort and nodded. “But you have each other, you’re both there… it’s why I kept telling you…”

“Stop worrying and go for it.” Rachel said, releasing Jen’s hand and stroking her hair so it showed off her shaved side.

“Thank you… for last night.” Jen said, taking hold of Max’s hand while Rachel played with her hair. “If it wasn’t for you two… I’d… have fucked up again. I’d have gone out.” 

Max felt it first, a headache slowly growing in her head, pounding louder and louder against her skull. She fumbled to put the glass down on the bedside table and snatched up one of their phones, checking the time.

“I’ll be right back… not feeling well.” She said, quickly rushing from the room.

Before the door snapped shut behind her she saw a concerned look on Rachel’s face, but couldn’t risk telling her infront of Jen. When she closed the bathroom door behind her it wasn’t a moment too soon, the headache came to an abrupt end and she felt the rain on her head and back instead.

“Here we go again.” She muttered, pushing herself up out of the dirt.

She’d always suspected it could happen, assumed she may suffer in some way during the week of the storm. But to have it confirmed caused her some discomfort. Looking around the wooded area she expected to see the trail up to the lighthouse, but it wasn’t there. She was on a dirt road in the middle of the woods and the wind was howling around her, the rain was falling and soaking her clothes once again.

Following the trail to its end she found herself looking out on Arcadia Bay from the opposite side than before, the cliffs across the bay from the lighthouse. She tried to make out any figures in the distance, but it was too great and the giant tornado was blocking some of the view. She could only watch as the tornado bore down upon the Bay.


	17. The Storm

“Probably all the alcohol last night.” Jen said, climbing off the bed and walking over to her wardrobe.

“Yeah… maybe.” Rachel replied, concerned about Max. She could recall the story Max had told her about the storm, how she had visions of it leading up to that day. Her sudden departure to the bathroom made her wonder if something was going on.

“I… don’t normally show these to people.” The dark haired girl said, taking a box from the top shelf of her wardrobe and setting it down on the edge of the bed. “It’s all I have left of her.”

Tentatively the normally energetic girl took the lid off the box, allowing Rachel to see what was inside. Blue binders were carefully arranged within, as well as a couple of shirts and a small cuddly toy.

“Her parents kept most of it, but they let me take a few things.” Jen said, sitting on the edge of the bed by the box and carefully taking a binder out.

She opened the binder and placed it on the bed between her and Rachel. The first picture was of Jen and an auburn haired girl with blonde highlights through her hair, which was quite obviously Liz. She had beautiful green eyes, full of light and happiness as she stared at her girlfriend. Jen’s own look was one of complete happiness as she smiled at Liz.

“She’s so beautiful.” Rachel said, looking at some of the other pictures which had the two girls in them.

“She was my world Rach…” Jen said sadly, wiping a tear from her eyes.

Rachel couldn’t say anything, instead carefully moving the binder aside and putting her arms around the girl who had cared for her when Max had disappeared. Jen pressed her head against Rachel’s shoulder and started crying, letting out the emotions she kept pent up or hidden just as Rachel would do.

When the bedroom door opened Rachel looked over Jen’s head as Max made her way inside timidly, looking pale and unnerved. She really wanted to pull the petite girl aside and make sure she was okay, but she also had Jen in her arms and didn’t want to upset the girl by brushing her off to check on somebody else. Max sat down on the bed beside Rachel and put her arms around Jen too, giving the girl a group hug. Looking over Jen’s bowed head, Rachel looked to Max, hoping to catch the girls attention so she could see if she was okay. They looked into each others eyes and Rachel could see the pain behind Max’s, like she was barely holding it together.

As Jen moved away with a small forced smile she nudged the box, causing the binders to fall aside and reveal a hand drawn sketch. Rachel could see the blue colours through the paper and picked it up curiously, which Jen didn’t seem to mind.

“She wasn’t really one for sketching like you, but that one… it was one of the last things she did.” Jen said, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands as Rachel turned the paper over.

It was a beautiful blue butterfly resting on the edge of a bathtub, the black edging of its wings lovingly shaded and the blue carefully applied. It looked almost real to Rachel, like somebody had spent a lot of time giving it a lifelike appearance. She was about to pass it to Max when Jen carefully took it from her, putting it back amongst the binders.

“Sorry but… I’m really possessive over that.” She said, looking at Rachel apologetically. “She never sketched things, so… it’s like the last bit of her I have.”

“I understand.” Rachel said, taking hold of Jen’s hands and giving them a firm squeeze.

“I’m… uh… gonna go to the bathroom and clean up.” Jen said, putting the binder back in the box and sealing the lid with trembling fingers.

“Go on… I’ll put it back safe.” Rachel said, standing up and carefully lifting the box. It was heavier than it looked.

“Thanks.” Jen nodded, forcing another smile as she stood up and walked over to the bedroom door. She didn’t leave until the box of her girlfriend’s possessions were put back on their shelf, a cold look in her beautiful blue eyes.

Rachel sat back down on the bed beside Max, who was clenching her left hand tightly. She took hold of Max’s hands and held on tight, watching the expression on the girls face ease as whatever was hurting her passed.

“That… was the second rewind.” Max said, breathing heavily. “It really fucking hurt, really hurt.”

“Was that the one…”

“The one where Chloe should I have died… the one I first rewound…” Max said, clenching her fist once more. “Rach… these could get worse. And in the bathroom…”

“Vision?” She asked.

“Yeah, but not the same one. It was different, it wasn’t the lighthouse. I was on the cliffs.” Max said, looking into Rachel’s eyes. “I don’t know why…”

“We need to go home, we won’t be able to explain your fits of pain without everybody worrying or thinking we’re crazy.” Rachel said quietly, glancing at the door in case anybody walked through it.

“We can’t abandon Jen either. She needs us today.” Max argued defiantly. “After the second vision today… we’re out of the woods, okay? I didn’t play around with my powers after that.”

Rachel looked at the girl, almost admiring the fact Max would endure the pain to spend the day looking after Jen. Instead of berating the girl for being silly she pulled Max into a hug and kissed her cheek affectionately.

“You’re the Goddess Max, I’ll follow your lead.” Rachel said quietly.

“Rach… if I can feel it when my other self uses the powers… then if I use them…”

“Your other self will feel it.” Rachel nodded, understanding what Max was saying.

“I can’t use my powers, at all. They’re done, until after I return to the past.” Max said quietly. “If it’s an emergency… I’ll risk it…” She added. “But anything else…”

“We’re on our own.” Rachel said, holding Max tightly and hoping nothing happened that could warrant the use of her powers.

“You’re my number one priority this week, okay?” Max said gently, cupping Rachel’s face with her hands. “You are more important to me than anything else. I know Chloe will be safe but…”

“We’ll be fine, okay?” Rachel replied, placing her hands on Max’s. “We’ll look after Jen today and then… we’ll go home, we’ll make sure you’re okay. Even if we have to stay in bed all day.”

“You’d love that…” Max smirked.

“Love what?” Jen asked as she walked back into her bedroom.

“Rachel wants to keep me in bed all week.” Max said with a playful smile, taking her hands away from Rachel’s face.

“Not a bad idea.” Jen said, sitting back down and picking up her mug. “Can I join in?” She grinned, sounding a little more like her normal self.

* * *

 

Max knew she wouldn’t be able to keep hiding it from Jen, especially when the second rewind had been so painful, almost bringing a tear to her eyes. It was a deep physical pain, beyond her ability to scratch or reach. She felt as though she was being pulled in two, torn between two places, not just through her hand but her mind.

When she felt the rewind that got her past Victoria into the dormitory building she felt her nose start to bleed as well, causing her to make her excuses to Jen once more and rush into the bathroom to clean up.

Leaning against the sink she felt exhausted, stretched over a great distance. She splashed her face with water and tried to hide the effects the rewinds were having on her, afraid of being asked questions she couldn’t answer. Rachel was doing a great job of keeping Jen unaware of her condition, but Max once again felt regret for not being able to tell a friend about her curse.

She returned to the living room where they’d set up the coffee table with snacks and cans of soda. Jen was leaning against her corner of the couch again with Rachel in the other corner, Jen’s legs either side of Rachel’s like they’d sat that way before. They soon moved their legs so she could sit down beside Rachel, who put her legs over Max’s and held her hand tightly. Jen crossed her legs and smiled at Max weakly.

“You okay? Looking a bit pale.” Jen said, sipping from her sofa can.

“Didn’t get much sleep.” Max answered honestly, leaning towards Rachel. She was enjoying the comfort the blonde girl had been offering all day and desired more of it.

“You can go home if you want. I’m a big girl.” Jen said, gently poking Max’s leg with her toe. “I won’t be going out tonight, I promise.”

“We’d still worry about you.” Rachel said kindly. “We don’t want you being alone.”

Jen managed a smile. “I’m not alone with Kelly and Brooke… but… maybe after you two get some rest, I’ll come over? Give them some space.”

“That sounds good to me.” Max answered, looking to Rachel for confirmation, who nodded with a smile of her own. It was only after she'd said it she realised how foolish she was being, but she didn't want to upset Jen.

“Bring the cards, I’ll play you for Max again.” Rachel smirked, lifting her legs to allow Max to get back up.

“I’d only just sat back down.” She muttered quietly as she stood back up, making Jen laugh.

“You’ll be fine. I’ll text you before I come over.” Jen said, standing up to give Max a big hug.

After they’d hugged they turned to Rachel and both put out a hand to help the girl up, which she accepted with a smile before being pulled to her feet by both Jen and Max. Jen then hugged Rachel and gave her a small peck on the lips. Max tried not to feel jealous, knowing their sexual relationship had ended some months ago, but they had kept a couple of the smaller displays of affection because they cared for each other.

“We’ll see you soon.” Rachel said, pulling on her sneakers as Max did the same.

Once they’d gathered up their things and shouted up the stairs to Kelly and Brooke to say bye, they left Jen’s home behind. Max could once again feel the pressure building behind her eyes, making her panic that she was about to pass out in the middle of the park.

“Rach…” She muttered, trying to indicate her head. Rachel got the message quickly, releasing Max's hand and putting her arm around her waist instead.

They reached the apartment just in time as Max felt the world start to tip away from her until she stumbled along the dirt road.

She was in her second vision of the tornado, and once more she wasn’t near the lighthouse. Slowly she walked up the dirt road towards the cliff, preparing to see the tornado once more. It looked far more formidable than ever, but this time she thought she saw movement near the lighthouse, but put it down to a trick of her mind. If everything was proceeding as it had before, the Max across the way was currently at the lighthouse with Chloe, having just taken the blame for smoking weed in Chloe’s room.

“I’m coming Chloe…” She said out loud, pacing the cliff edge. “Three weeks to go and we’ll be together again.”

“Max!” Rachel shouted, pulling her out of her vision similarly to how Chloe had done the same thing.

“Tornado…” She mumbled, noticing she was in Rachel’s arms on the bed they now shared each night.

“You fell.” Rachel said, sounding apologetic. “I’m sorry, I should have been faster.”

“It’s fine…” Max said, looking up at Rachel’s hazel eyes above her.

Her face was upside down to Max because of the way they were positioned, but she once more felt the emotional pull to lean up and kiss the girl who had saved her, despite only moments ago thinking of Chloe.

“You should sleep, you look… really bad.” The girl said, sounding worried about Max.

“Just a little longer.” Max said absently, feeling the weight of sleep behind her eyes.

“Is it… going to get worse?” Rachel asked quietly, stroking Max’s cheek softly.

She tried to cast her mind back to the Tuesday of that week, and the memory made her feel sick to her stomach. “Kate’s suicide attempt.” She mumbled. “I… froze time. Oh fuck… I'm not looking forward to that.”

The pain of the second rewind had been bad enough, but knowing what was to come scared her. It was going to be torture if the pain remained consistent.

“I won’t leave your side.” Rachel whispered, a sad look in her eyes. “You won’t be alone through that.”

“I believe you.” She said, reaching up to stroke Rachel’s hair behind her ear.

“I can’t believe you’re having to go through this again.” Rachel said, fiddling with Max’s hair.

Max looked towards their window, hoping she wasn’t about to see the snow falling in San Francisco. She didn’t want a second tornado wiping out a densely populated city because of her, but there was no sign of the anomalous weather. The sky was painted red and yellow as the sun was setting.

She glanced back up to Rachel and became concerned at how sad the blonde girl looked. “This isn’t your fault.” Max said, trying to sound comforting. “This is my choice.”

“Still my hero.” Rachel smiled.

Before Max could fall into the depths of sleep her body was craving, she reached up to place her hand on the back of Rachel’s neck and gently pulled the girls head down so their lips met. Something within her wanted to make sure Rachel knew how she felt, how important she was to her and the touch of their heads wasn’t enough after the pain she had been enduring all evening. She wanted the pleasure of the touch, even if it came with some guilt afterwards. There was no hesitation or surprise on Rachel’s part, placing her hands on either side of Max’s face as they kissed each other for the first time in weeks.

As they parted from their illicit kiss, Rachel gently ran her thumb over Max’s bottom lip, a small smile on her face. “You should sleep.” She said.

Max nodded in agreement. “Don’t leave me?” She asked, almost pleading.

“Never.” Rachel answered, helping Max to move up the bed to place her head on a pillow. “I’m not leaving you again.”

* * *

 

While Max slept beside her, Rachel had her sketchpad on her knees and her phone alongside her. She’d been texting Jen to make sure she was okay, checking when she intended to come over and whether she would be bringing some alcohol to make the night a little more fun. Max probably wouldn’t drink, but Rachel needed something to calm her feelings.

She let out a gentle sigh as she returned to her newest artwork, a picture of Max she’d started drawing when nothing else would come to her. She’d started with her eyes because of how drawn she had become to them, similar to Chloe’s yet so different too. In all the months of living with the small girl, she’d never actually dedicated any time to sketching a picture of her, instead working on pictures of Chloe, Jen, even the San Francisco skyline, but never Max. She was like a guilty pleasure, somewhere outside of her reach, allowed to see but not touch, almost ethereal.

A message from Jen pinged on her phone, which she glanced at quickly and smiled. The girl was on her way over. She carefully packed the sketchpad back into Max’s camera bag, which had now become their art bag, and put it in the wardrobe safely.

She cleaned some of their dirty clothes from the floor, tossing them into a laundry basket they’d finally put in the bathroom, and quickly cleaned away some of the dirty dishes they hadn’t managed to get around to washing up. When she felt there was nothing else to do she couldn’t help but stop and look at Max, still asleep in the bed. The small girl made her wonder if she should put off Jen’s visit until she woke up, but then the sound of a knock on the door stole her from her thoughts and Max rolled over to watch.

“Not asleep then?” Rachel asked as she walked over to the door to open it.

“Not anymore.” Max answered, snuggling into the duvet a little more. “But if that’s Jen… I don’t mind.” She smirked.

Rachel opened the front door to a grinning Jen who had a couple of cases of beer in her hands. She’d dressed to impress as well, wearing her normal style and having put on some makeup.

“You look good.” Rachel said, stepping back to allow the girl to enter.

“Well… coming out gave me a good excuse to shower and change, look my best rather than slob around.” Jen smirked, placing the beer on the kitchen counter. “Were you still asleep?” She added, looking at Max in bed.

“I was waking up.” Max shrugged, making Rachel smile.

“Kelly and Brooke okay?” Rachel asked, already putting the beer bottles in the fridge.

“Glad to have the house to themselves.” Jen nodded, removing her black jacket and sitting at their dining table. “I’m homeless for the night.”

“You can stay with us.” Max said before Rachel could respond. “I know it’s only a floor but…”

“After a few beers, I won’t know the difference.” Jen laughed.

It was another night of drinking, but Rachel kept a closer eye on Max throughout, worried the girl may have another attack in the night, a rewind that she’d forgotten about. Jen was knocking back the beers, telling stories about some of the other parties she’d been to, making Max and Rachel laugh. Max’s exhaustion mixed with the alcohol was making her sleepier, something Rachel noticed by the way she was slipping further and further back down the bed until her head was on the pillow. Her eyelids were barely open, but she was still listening to some of the jokes, laughing quietly when Jen told a funny story about Kelly and Brooke when they got caught in a classroom making out.

Just like the first time they had kissed in the rain, Rachel couldn’t get their earlier kiss out of her mind. Max had that strange effect on her, yet if she’d met the girl normally, without the petite girl saving her life, she had no idea if she’d have even looked at her twice. The alcohol certainly wasn’t helping, and after a couple of months without sex she was frustrated at how close she and Max could be without the possibility of ever having that kind of intimacy with her.

“You okay?” Jen asked, her hand on Rachel’s. “You zoned out.”

“Just… thinking.” She answered, looking at Max over the edge of the duvet and noticing she’d fallen asleep.

“Oh… that kind of thinking.” Jen said, making Rachel look at her. Jen had a grin on her face and winked playfully. “I can go home if you wanna try…”

“Not gonna happen.” Rachel said, taking a sip of her beer. “I’m respecting her wishes…”

“Because she means that much to you.” Jen nodded, a look of understanding her eyes.

“The things we do for love…” Rachel mused, getting off her chair to get another bottle of beer when she finished the current bottle she was holding.

“Tell me about it.” Jen grinned, following her over to the fridge for a refill of her own. “I… can never forget her.” She said, popping the lid off her bottle and taking a swig. “And today… you’re both hella awesome… did I use it right?”

Rachel laughed at Jen using the word ‘hella’ but nodded. “Hella right.” She said, drinking from her own bottle.

Between them they emptied another six bottles while sat on the sleeping bag so Max could have the bed to herself. Rachel loved Jen’s company, even when Jen's darker mood slipped over her eyes, a sadness she was constantly trying to hide and finding it so hard to do, especially on the anniversary of her girlfriend’s death. Rachel put her legs either side of Jen while they talked, which tempted Jen to start touching her legs again, even though she was wearing jeans. Eventually they called it a night, sharing a small hug before taking off their jeans. Rachel climbed into bed alongside Max, snuggling a little too closely to the girl she had kissed earlier.

She tossed and turned, like that night so long ago where she went out and met Kelly and Brooke. Max rolled over and placed a hand on Rachel’s stomach, making her look towards the girl in the dark, wondering if she was awake but Max’s breathing remained deep. Jen shuffled in the sleeping bag on the floor beside her, trying to get comfy. Rachel had no idea how long she lay awake, trying to shift the thoughts from her mind so she could sleep.

Instead of continuing to lie there with no chance of sleep, she carefully slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom, pushing the door to. With nothing else to do she turned on the shower and stripped out of her clothes, then carefully stepped under the warm water, allowing the alcoholic haze to lift from her mind as the warm shower did its work.

Closing her eyes tightly she tried to stop her mind overthinking everything, to stop thinking about the future that she couldn’t control, or the past she couldn’t change unlike Max. Like a spark her mind was on Max and the kiss from earlier, the look in her blue eyes before they had kissed. She thought she’d imagined it, a yearning look in her eyes that Rachel felt deep inside, but she believed they both wanted to take it further than the kiss. Leaning against the tiled wall she bit her bottom lip and wondered about giving herself some release as the two girls slept in the other room.

A part of her wanted to go through and slip into the sleeping bag with Jen, knowing the dark haired girl wouldn’t say no to take their minds off things, but doing that so close to Max felt wrong, even cruel in case the girl woke up. But it enticed her mind, the thought of being caught, of Max joining them.

_You’ve got a sick mind…_ She thought as she moved her left hand down over her wet stomach. _But it’s only my imagination._ She smirked to herself as she rest her head against the tile wall, parting her legs slightly as she enjoyed the first touch of her fingers.

Hearing a distinct click as the bathroom door opened she opened her eyes, remembering she hadn’t locked the door as both girls appeared to be fast asleep. As the black locks appeared around the door first her heart pounded harder, thinking Max was about to catch her like a fantasy she had once had. When she saw the shaved side she knew who it was and smiled mischievously at the dark haired girl.

“Sorry Rach.” Jen said, smirking and feigning to look away. “Wondered if you were okay.”

Rachel let out a small laugh and shook her head, covering her modesty. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“I’ll leave ya to it…” Jen winked, turning to leave.

“I… have a better idea… if you’d indulge me.” Rachel said, biting her bottom lip as she looked at the girl’s bare legs.

“You sure?” Jen asked, closing the door and engaging the lock.

“Unless you don’t want to…” Rachel smirked, slowly moving her arm away from her breasts to tease Jen.

Jen pulled her shirt over her head revealing her breasts and tossed it against the bathroom door as she slowly approached the shower. “There’s no take backs, and you’ve been really good until now.”

“I need to be bad every once in a while.” Rachel smirked, her eyes on Jen’s body. They were back to teasing each other, pulling each other into the trap.

She couldn’t stop herself from admiring the black lines of the butterfly tattoo on her left side, hidden by any top she chose to wear. She understood its significance now, the last piece of art Liz had ever made. She almost felt like she was staring at a punk angel with black hair as the beautiful girl slipped her underwear off and stepped into the shower with her.

There was a moment, a sliver of a doubt in Rachel’s mind as Jen pressed her against the tiled wall, where she wondered if she was being reckless, giving up her hopes of finally being with Max. But as Jen’s body pressed against her it was quickly smothered by the excitement of being with somebody again, the touch of another person.

She teasingly bit Jen’s lip before pulling her into a deep, satisfying kiss. Then Jen took control, something Rachel was more than willing to allow, turning her around so Jen’s chest was pressed against her back. Her blonde hair was brushed to the side so Jen could kiss her neck, enticing her nerves. She placed her hands on the wall, stopping herself from falling against it as Jen took her right breast in her left hand. Rachel let out a small gasp as Jen’s exploring right hand slid between her legs, taking over where Rachel had stopped when she’d entered the bathroom.

It was the greatest feeling in the world, not having to think or worry about anything outside of the bathroom with Jen. She could get lost in the wave of pleasure Jen’s experienced fingers could give her, forget all of the concerns that pressed against her mind.

As the water fell upon them both she pressed her hips back into Jen’s, closing her eyes tightly as the wonderful sensation built up. Jen squeezed her breast as she bit her shoulder, mixing the different pleasures together just as she knew how to do. Rachel bit her bottom lip as she came closer to climaxing, preparing for the wonderful feeling when Jen stopped and she groaned in annoyance.

“Bitch…” She muttered as Jen turned her around and kissed her sweetly.

“You know what comes next.” Jen smirked, gently running her fingers over Rachel’s sides to her breasts.

“Don’t make me wait…” Rachel pleaded before biting Jen’s bottom lip playfully.

“I thought you didn’t beg…” Jen teased, staring into Rachel’s eyes with a mischievous look behind her own.

Rachel didn’t need to say another word as Jen slowly started moving her lips down Rachel’s neck, past her collarbone, stopping only to bite her nipples once each. She knew exactly what was coming, it was the greatest part about sex with Jen. The dark haired girl knelt down in the shower before Rachel and began kissing her inner thighs, teasing her further, almost like she wanted to make her plead. She closed her eyes as Jen’s experienced tongue found its mark and she couldn’t stop herself from placing a hand on the shaved side of Jen’s head.

“Oh fuck.” She groaned, trying to stay quiet.

She placed a hand to her mouth and allowed a small moan to escape, but it only made Jen work harder. The girl knew perfectly how to please her, they’d spent so many hours in bed together already and Jen was quick to learn what worked on her the best.

Once more her climax was approaching and Jen showed no signs of stopping, she pressed her hips forwards to meet Jen’s tongue and let slip another groan, then felt her orgasm ripple through her body. She bit down on her lip, trying to silence the moan she really wanted to let out, but daren’t in case it woke up Max. Closing her hand around some of Jen’s hair she held her there as the wave of pleasure passed through her body, enjoying the sensations she had missed over the last couple of months.

Taking control for herself she pulled Jen back to stand up, allowing the girl a moment to wash her face under the shower before they kissed again.

“You’re…” Was all she managed to say as she looked into Jen’s eyes.

“Hella awesome.” Jen smirked, knowing what she was going to say.

“Now it’s your turn…” She grinned, turning them so Jen was pressed against the tiled wall.

“Give me your best moves.” Jen teased playfully as Rachel sunk to her knees.

* * *

 

Max gasped as the pain in her hand intensified, waking her from her deep slumber. Once again it was like being stabbed with needles over and over again, bone deep, probing her hand. Once again she felt as though she was being pulled taut, stretched across a great distance. She rolled onto her hand, trying to numb the pain and only managed to groan into the pillow, trying not to yell out. She squeezed her eyes shut, begging silently in her mind for the pain to stop, for her to stop torturing herself like this. This was the true karma for her actions, the agonising pain she was forcing herself to endure without any idea of what she was doing.

When the pain finally started to subside she rolled over to hug Rachel, needing that comforting embrace but the girl wasn’t in bed with her. Panic took control of her senses, believing she may have done something to the timeline in her fit of pain. She sat up and glanced to the sleeping bag, hoping it was still there. What she saw made her feel more upset than she was expecting.

Jen and Rachel were both snuggled up in the sleeping bag together, their bare shoulders visible over the top of the fabric with a couple of towels beside them. They were both facing away from Max, with Jen behind Rachel, their heads on a single pillow.

She didn’t know whether to smile at how comfortable they looked or cry at how betrayed she felt, believing so foolishly that Rachel had given up sleeping with Jen. On top of the pulsing aftershocks of pain in her hand it was too much for her to handle. She climbed out of the bed on the opposite side to the two girls and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her as the emotions and pain finally took over. She cried silently, harder than she’d cried after saving Rachel, pressing her back against the door and sliding down it until she sat down. She was unable to understand why she cared so much that Rachel had slept with Jen again.  Max was in the relationship with Chloe, not Rachel, but it felt like a pain in her heart after they'd shared another kiss the previous day.

Her mind racing around the emotional upheaval she was suffering through, she almost didn't notice that something felt different about the tears on her face, causing her to pull her hands away. They were covered in blood, she picked herself up from the floor in a hurry and stared into the mirror above the sink, noticing the red streaking down from her eyes.

“No no no no.” She said rapidly, trying to understand what was going on.

There had never been a point in Arcadia Bay where she’d bled from her eyes, only ever from her nose when she’d over-exerted herself.

_The diner. I had a nosebleed in the diner._ She thought, recalling the moment her nose bled in front of Chloe after using her powers for so long. _Oh no… the junkyard, I passed out after a nosebleed and had another vision. And then… Kate. Fuck…_

The exertion of her power usage was causing more damage than she'd ever done to herself before. She washed the blood from her face, trying not to cry further when her mind slipped back to what she’d seen after waking up. The storm was her most pressing concern, but seeing them like that hurt. She shook her head, trying not to get lost in the emotions again.

“Okay Max… get deductive.” She mumbled to herself. “Just like when you saved Rachel, work it out, break down what you know.” She started pacing in front of the mirror talking to herself. “You feel like you’re being pulled apart, and both visions… you’re in Arcadia Bay. Before when you had visions, they came true. You were at the lighthouse that day, you were safe with Chloe. Now you’re about to have a third one…” She ran her hand through her black hair, trying to make a decision. “If it’s that same fucking cliff… I need to go back, I need to be there. Just me.”

Rather than go back out to the sleeping couple she remained in the bathroom, deciding to get a shower and wash out the black dye. So far she’d had warnings of the oncoming attacks, the pain behind her eyes or in her hand. She rushed the shower, hoping she got all of the dye, and was in the process of drying her hair when she felt the pain in her hand start to build to intolerable levels. All she could do was sit against the wet shower wall and hope it passed quickly.


	18. Emotionally Charged

Her eyes snapped open as the vision finally ended and Rachel was sat in front of her in her underwear, a bra and an open red plaid shirt. At first she didn’t know how the blonde haired girl had managed to get into the bathroom to begin with, then saw the metal nail file in her hand and nodded with a small smile. Max pulled her towel a little tighter around her chest, trying to maintain her modesty as she sat up against the wall.

“Your eyes…” Rachel said sadly, handing Max some tissues.

Max quickly tried to clean the blood away, afraid Jen would see and start panicking. She glanced towards the door and noticed Rachel had closed it behind her.

“I need to go to Arcadia.” Max said, her eyes feeling tender at the touch of the tissue. “The visions… I’m back there, and the powers… I feel torn. I need to go back.”

“Then we’ll go back.” Rachel said, reaching out to touch Max’s face but she recoiled. “Max?”

“I need to go alone.” She said sadly. “And you’ll be safe here with Jen.”

“I’m going with you, I’m not letting you go through that alone.” Rachel argued, shaking her head.

Max bit back a retort and awkwardly got to her feet, mirrored by Rachel who was watching her closely. She stepped around the girl towards the sink mirror to check her eyes, noticing she’d missed some of the blood. Grabbing some more tissue she worked on cleaning her eyes, a constant fear at the back of her mind that very soon she would suffer another attack, worse than any of the others.

She heard the tingle as the nail file was put down, then felt Rachel’s hands on her shoulders and tried to shrug her off, only for Rachel’s grip to tighten.

“Max… stop.” She pleaded, cautiously trying to stroke Max’s messed up hair. “If you go alone, and you have another attack while driving… we could lose you, and I can’t go to the junkyard in three weeks and tell Chloe you died because you wouldn’t let me go with you.”

“You slept with Jen…” Max said, finally allowing the emotions that she was feeling to come tumbling out. “After we kissed again… you slept with her.”

“That’s what this is about… what I do with Jen.” Rachel sounded annoyed, removing her hands from Max’s head and shoulder. “We’re not together, you and I. You’re holding on for Chloe.”

“But you know how I feel, how you feel… why would you…” Max argued, trying to understand something she’d had very little experience dealing with.

“Because… I was horny and Jen caught me in the shower.” Rachel said, crossing her arms stubbornly “And… ”

Max looked at the girl through the mirror, noticing a slight blush in her cheeks. “And what?”

“I’m trying to respect you, your wishes… but I want you and I can’t have you. So Jen… she makes it all go away, she helps me to escape this trap.” Rachel explained sadly, her hazel eyes looking at Max’s through the mirror.

“I want…” Max closed her eyes, trying to find the right words in her muddled head.

She felt Rachel’s hands on her shoulder and allowed the blonde girl to turn her around, opening her eyes again to look into Rachel’s, who was gently pressing her against the sink.

“Tell me.” Rachel whispered.

“I…” She swallowed hard, inhaling Rachel’s scent and confusing her mind further. “I don’t want…”

“Tell me what you want.” Rachel asked, her left hand moving through the opening of the towel to Max’s bare side, where a large bruise had once been.

“I want you too.” She answered, feeling guilty for even admitting it to the girl before her. “And it hurt to know you were with Jen and not me.”

Rachel smiled when Max finally admitted how she was feeling, such a beautiful smile that Max loved to see and capture in pictures. She tentatively placed her hands on Rachel’s sides, under the open plaid shirt the girl wore. There was no explaining herself, or why she was letting Rachel off so easily. She felt drawn to her, pulled into her appealing hazel eyes.

“Max…” Rachel whispered, pressing her forehead against Max’s as their custom had become. “I couldn’t sleep, and I was really worked up. I came to cool down… and didn’t manage it.” She explained quietly. “And when I saw Jen’s black hair I thought it was you, I hoped it was you.”

Max allowed a small smile to pass across her face at the thought of somebody as beautiful as Rachel wanting her, to catch her in the shower. At the same time she felt guilty for thinking it, and was about to voice that guilt when their lips brushed, freeing their deeply guarded emotions. 

The flood gates were open and Max couldn’t stop the inextricable allure of the kiss, something forbidden that she shouldn’t be doing, but it felt so right. She felt Rachel’s thumb brush against the side of her breast and enjoyed the exploring touch more than she should have.

A loud knock on the door killed the moment in its tracks, giving Max a second to think about what she was doing and how it was going to upset Chloe if they went any further. 

“Everything alright?” Jen asked through the door, making Max laugh as relief spread through her for the girl’s intervention.

“Yeah…” Rachel called back, never taking her eyes off Max. “We’re okay.” She said, gently tilting Max’s head back and giving her one last peck on the lips. “Aren’t we?” She asked quietly, almost pleadingly.

“We’re not a couple.” Max answered sadly. “But… I want us to be. So it hurt seeing you with Jen.” She admitted, keeping her hands on Rachel’s side. “But… we need to think of Chloe too. She will never forgive us if we…”

“I know.” Rachel said, placing her hand to Max’s cheek but never removing the one from her side. “Max I…”

She didn’t hear what Rachel had to say next as the build up in her head started again, she’d completely lost track of time. “Rach…” She tried to warn her, but too late.

The pain was worse than anything she’d felt before, it felt like daggers were being thrust into her hand, her head felt like it was about to split open and her nose started to bleed. Rachel caught her as she started to fall, holding her close as they sank to the floor together. To her credit she didn’t scream or shout for help, she held Max as the pain overwhelmed her senses. 

She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain pricked through her head, slowly abating. Like an echo from the past she could see and hear the conversation on the Blackwell roof in her mind, doing everything she could to save her friend from suicide. She knew it would work, she’d seen her at the memorial, but it still scared her to hear Kate in such an emotional state once more. Relief flooded her body as Kate stepped away from the edge and into her outstretched arms, she knew the worst part of the day was over.

When she came to Rachel was holding her in her arms, gently stroking her hair as she waited for Max to return from whatever darkness she had slipped into. Max could feel the blood running down her face again, feeling weaker from the amount she had lost so far today.

“Kate… lived.” Max mumbled, rolling into Rachel’s arms. “But it hurt so much.” 

“Still the hero.” Rachel whispered, holding her tightly. “I don’t want to rush you but…”

“We need to go.” She nodded, accidentally getting blood on Rachel’s chest. 

Max unsteadily got to her feet, supported by Rachel’s firm touch, and leaned against the sink once more. She tried touching some tissue to her face to clean the blood, but struggled to touch the tissue to the blood, missing the spot she was aiming for a number of times. Rachel noticed her struggle, took the tissue from her hand and firmly started cleaning the blood from her face. 

In such close proximity with Rachel it was hard not watching her eyes as she concentrated on cleaning away Max’s blood. The beauty of her hazel eyes with the flecks of green, they were dazzling, encompassing and Rachel smiled when she noticed Max’s stare.

“Don’t get used to this.” She whispered playfully, being a little more gentle around Max’s eyes. “I prefer looking at your eyes without the bloodshot.” Max let out a small laugh but tried not to move.

When they were both clean of Max’s blood they unlocked the bathroom door, quickly stepping aside as Jen rushed past them, muttering something about them taking long enough.

Max went to collect some underwear from the chest of drawers when Rachel pushed her to sit on the bed and found some for her. She struggled trying to dress under the towel as Rachel started repacking their second travel bag now that the plan was back on. 

“Taking that trip then?” Jen asked as she returned from the bathroom, wearing her jeans and bra. Max could see the edges of a tattoo but couldn’t make out the shape.

“Max needs to get some shots for her portfolio and has finally decided what she wants.” Rachel said, throwing the extra clothes into the bag haphazardly. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Jen shrugged, sitting on the bed beside Max who still had the towel around her, despite wearing her underwear. “I have work today anyway.” She smiled.

“Are you sure it’s okay? We don’t want you feeling uncomfortable.” Max said, looking at the shaved side of Jen’s hair and admiring how she could pull off the look.

“Seriously, I’m good.” Jen laughed, putting an arm around Max’s bare shoulders. “I had a great couple of nights thanks to the two of you, Kelly and Brooke didn’t have to worry and… I get to live another day.” She said with a smirk on her face.

Max gave her a hug, happy the girl was okay and not feeling put-out by their sudden need to leave.”When we get back… we’ll go out and do something, all five of us.” She said, kissing Jen’s cheek.

“That sounds fun.” Jen grinned, getting off the bed and snatching her shirt up from the floor.

Rachel left the packing to give Jen a hug, and gave her a peck on the lips. “Text us, okay?” She said as Jen moved away to get her jacket.

“Everyday ‘til you get back.” The dark haired girl said, pulling on her jacket and boots before leaving the apartment.

Max watched Jen go and didn’t know whether she was glad or sad. She liked the girl, but it still hurt when she thought of seeing her and Rachel cuddled together in the sleeping bag. Looking around at Rachel she appreciated the urgency in her actions, packing the bags and finding clothes for them to wear. Max still wasn’t certain about taking Rachel to Arcadia Bay, she wanted to keep her close, but she wasn’t sure it would be safe for her. 

She opened her mouth to try to deter Rachel, but the girl seemed to be able to read her mind.

“I’m not leaving you to face it alone, so don’t ask me again.” Rachel said, dropping some clothes on the bed beside Max.

“How did you know…” Max started to ask.

“I’ve seen that look before.” Rachel smirked, stroking Max’s cheek gently. “It’s the one you get when you’re thinking and don’t know how to put words to it.”

Part of Max wanted to shrug off the touch, hurt as she was from the morning’s revelation, yet the part of her that had kissed Rachel back so thoroughly was screaming in her head to let the touch continue, to embrace it.

“We need to go… the next load of rewinds are tonight.” She said sadly, grabbing the clothes from beside her and getting dressed.

She was happy her coordination had returned, or it would have been a very interesting attempt trying to get dressed with Rachel helping her. Though she wondered just how far they’d get before they started making out again.

* * *

 

They’d loaded their travel bags and the medical kit into the trunk of Kelly’s car and were two hours into their journey. So far everything had gone smoothly, they hadn’t talked much since the bathroom but during the journey Max found Rachel placing a reassuring hand on her knee, just as Chloe would do. Rachel and Chloe were so alike in some ways that Max was trying to justify her actions as an effect of the two girls being so similar when she missed Chloe’s touch and voice. 

Time to think was like torture to her, she had so many things running around her mind that she just couldn’t concentrate on one thing. One moment she’d be thinking about the storm, the visions and why they were calling her back to Arcadia Bay, then she’d think about Chloe and how much she missed her. Then to distract her tortured mind she would look at the blonde girl in the driver’s seat and try to find some comfort in her presence, admiring the light in her hair.

Inspired by the beauty the girl radiated, Max took the camera out of their art bag and leaned into the passenger door to get the best angle of Rachel.

“Always with the camera.” Rachel smiled, having heard the distinctive click and whir of the analogue camera.

Max gave a small shrug and dropped the photo on the dashboard after admiring the way the light caught Rachel’s hair, captured in the moment of the photograph.

“Any theories on why your powers are calling you back to the shit hole of Oregon?” Rachel asked, not taking her eyes off the road.

“It’s where they activated… it’s where the storm is going to be… other than that, I have no idea.” She answered honestly. “Maybe…” She thought for a moment, thinking how it felt whenever her other self used their powers. “Maybe I feel torn because of the distance between me and… me.”

“You think proximity is going to help?” Rachel asked, glancing at Max momentarily.

“I can hope, right?” Max shrugged. “If not… I have to endure a lot more pain before the end of this week.”

“We could try to dose you on painkillers, or whatever else those assholes packed in their kit.” Rachel said, giving Max’s knee another comforting squeeze.

“I wouldn’t want to risk it.” Max said, leaning back in her seat and fiddling with the camera. “I’d rather take the pain than put us in danger because I’m too drowsy.”

They returned to their comfortable silence, stopping only to get gas and a snack. Max climbed into the rear passenger seats when they returned to the car, buckling up but able to stretch out on the seats with Rachel’s sketchpad. The girl had a tendency to start multiple projects then return to each one as the mood took her, many of the sketches were in varying states of progress. 

One in particular caught her photographer’s eye. It was the starting point of a sketch, but only the eyes had been drawn to completion, the rest remained as a sort of outline without composure. The eyes looked oddly familiar to her and Rachel had clearly put a lot of effort into sketching them so perfectly, so exact.

“Have we got the cash to stay at a hotel, or do we need to find a cheap motel?” Rachel asked after slurping from the straw of her soda.

“We have the cash, but nothing too fancy.” Max answered, flicking the bag open in the passenger footwell beside her and looking at the money she’d taken for this trip.

Rachel gave a small nod and the silence resumed. Max didn’t know what was going through her head, but she knew if she didn’t concentrate the knowledge that Rachel had slept with Jen that night would intrude and interrupt her thoughts, depressing her more than she thought it could. When she’d originally found out about their sexual relationship she thought she could handle it if they resumed sleeping together, but to know they were was a lot different. It made her feel more isolated and alone, missing Chloe more as the day dragged on.

Soon they would be closer to Chloe than they’d been since she returned to the past, and she wouldn’t be allowed to speak to her, or even see her.

_ I made you a promise. I said we’d get those two weeks together, I wouldn’t change our timeline. All those months ago… or is it in three weeks? I… can’t even keep the dates straight anymore.  _

She flicked through the pages of the sketchbook for an image of Chloe, wanting to see her face again. There was one at the back, which Rachel kept with her at all times. It wasn’t as Max remembered her, she only had the one strand of blue hair and looked younger than when Max had seen her last, but a lot of love had gone into the creation of it.

“Rach…” Max said, gently touching the picture.

“Hm?”

“Do you… still love Chloe?” She asked cautiously.

The girl sighed and gave a slight nod of her head. “I think about her everyday. Where we could be instead if I hadn’t…” 

“You didn’t ask for that.” Max quickly interjected, leaning forward to place a hand on Rachel’s shoulder.

“I know… but yes, I still love Chloe. She’s my best friend.” Rachel said sadly. “She’s my angel.”

“That’s what she calls you.” She muttered, sitting back in her seat. “You’re her angel too.”

“I… didn’t know that. I mean… she never told me.” Rachel let out another sigh. “I really miss her Max.”

The closer they got to Portland the more Max felt a sense of ease, a weight on her shoulders seemed to be lifting and her mind felt clearer. It was a strange feeling, especially when she hadn’t noticed the weight to begin with. 

Noticing how sad Rachel still looked she decided to take a risk, unbuckling her belt and sitting in the seat behind her. Then gently she put her arms across Rachel’s shoulders and leaned around the seat to kiss her cheek.

“You don’t have to go all the way if you don’t want to.” She offered, knowing it was a useless thing to say.

“I didn’t think I’d ask to return to that shit hole to begin with but… I’m going.” Rachel said, placing a hand on Max’s elbow. “I’m going to stare down that motherfucking storm with you if it’s the last thing I do.”

“It won’t be the last thing…” Max whispered in her ear. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

When they finally reached Portland it was late into the night, Rachel looked exhausted but had refused to allow Max to drive in case of any rewind seizures she had forgotten about. They were fortunate enough to find a hotel that accepted their late check in and were soon trudging up the stairs with their travel bags to their room. Rachel opened the door with their room key, dropped her bag by one of the beds and collapsed onto it without another word, awkwardly kicking off her shoes before shuffling up the bed to rest her head on the pillow.

Max tried not to laugh, knowing how tired she must be after all of the hours they had spent on the road. She dropped her both of her bags by her bed and sat on the edge, grateful they’d got a twin room instead of another double bed, they wouldn’t need to share and make things more awkward than they already were.

Rather than waiting around for the rewind she was expecting, and feeling tired herself, she kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed, hoping her theory on distance was correct and she’d be able to sleep through any pain. 

Tossing and turning she tried to get comfy, sometimes settling on her side to look at the sleeping girl in the other bed. She had no idea where their futures would take them after they met Chloe, but she was finding herself drawn more towards Rachel than she liked to admit. She wanted them both in her life. Whenever she kissed Rachel it was like sparks between them, it felt wonderful and intense. 

She had just managed to fall asleep when the pain started to creep through her hand, not as painful as it had been but still evident by the prickling sensation. It still woke her up, annoying her slightly that she’d even tried to sleep when she knew it was coming. Rolling onto her back she waited, trying to think about what she and Chloe were doing right now in Blackwell.

The late night swimming session was on her mind, the smile on Chloe’s face as they did something so daring together. She could remember the feel of the water as they played together like kids for the first time in so long, so happy to have her best friend back.

Despite the memories of Chloe her feelings of loneliness were creeping through her mind, infecting how she felt, dragging her down into the depths. She didn’t know what came over her but she slipped out of her bed and into the one with Rachel, who gently put her arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. 

“Not asleep?” Max whispered, surprised by how fast Rachel had reacted to her presence.

“Heard you groan.” Rachel murmured, nuzzling her cheek. “Try to get some sleep…”

“Yeah.” She said, rolling ever so slightly towards the girl and closing her eyes.

“Not long now…” Rachel whispered, shifting a little closer to Max. 

* * *

 

Rachel was the first to wake up in the morning, a smile on her face when she saw the brunette girl lying in bed with her. Max’s arm was stretched across her stomach, stopping her from moving away without disturbing her. Rachel remained in bed with her, listening to her deep breathing. She couldn’t believe they were so close to Arcadia Bay, driving towards a catastrophic event rather than away from it. But she’d asked to see it, she wanted to see the destruction Max had allowed to happen to save Chloe. 

Taking her phone awkwardly from her pocket she opened the texts to see if Jen had been in touch. She smiled when she saw the first message.

**Jen:**

_ Missing you both! Brooke and Kelly say hurry the fuck back so we can party! _

She hadn’t really noticed when they’d been pulled into the group so comfortably, it had just sort of happened after they’d all gone to the party with Max. Their little world of just her and Max had turned into something bigger, with friends they could count on and who cared for them, who they cared for in turn, and she didn’t need to act any differently. They liked her for who she was, even if she did hide how she felt for Max more than she liked. Nothing was expected of her, there was no pressure to do anything or be something she wasn’t. 

It reminded her of Chloe when they’d first started hanging out, how she had tried to manipulate her for her schemes to catch her Dad, only to really like the company of the school delinquent. In one evening she’d discovered just how awesome Chloe was, how she was so sincere with her feelings and how brave she could be. 

She closed her eyes to remember that moment under the streetlamp, the shyness Chloe had exhibited just like Max was so capable of now. It made her smile to think how much further Chloe had come, especially after the one night they had spent together as lovers. She missed that blue haired punk so much it hurt, like a piece of her life was missing. 

“Hey.” Max said sleepily, removing her arm from around Rachel’s waist.

“Morning.” Rachel answered, gently stroking hair from Max’s eyes.

“I’ve been thinking…” Max mumbled, rolling onto her side to face Rachel. “Or… kind of thinking…”

“Go on.” She said, rolling onto her side to watch Max, her head on her hand with her elbow on the pillow.

“We need to dye our hair… just in case anybody sees us.” Max said, a small smile on her face. “Lucky you packed my hair dye, right?”

“Oh… great.” Rachel muttered, pulling some of her golden locks in front of her eyes. “I don’t wanna…” She moaned, thinking of how she’d look with black hair.

“We can’t have people recognising us.” Max maintained. “Especially when you’re supposed to be missing and I’m somewhere else in Arcadia Bay.”

“You know it’ll just get washed out during the storm, right?” Rachel said, trying to find a way out of dying her beautiful hair that she maintained so lovingly.

“I don’t think anybody is going to care if they see us at that point.” Max shrugged. “Look, it’s washout dye. It’ll be for maybe two days and then… if it makes you feel better… I’ll even wash it out of your hair so you’re not paranoid about it.”

Rachel stared at her for a moment, wondering just what she meant about helping her to wash it out. Then chastised herself for even thinking anything could happen with Max in the shower. She sighed and finally nodded her head in agreement.

“Fine… let’s do it.” She groaned. “But if my hair turns green I am going to fucking kill you, powers or no powers!”

Max laughed and nodded. “It won’t turn green, look at mine, it’s fine…” She said quickly.

“You’re not a blonde!” Rachel growled, kicking off the covers she had somehow managed to get under in the night. 

Max laughed again and climbed out of the other side of the bed while Rachel opened her travel bag for her toiletries. She rushed into the bathroom to do her normal morning routine, then returned to Max feeling a little more refreshed, if not anxious at the idea of dyeing her hair. Max took some time to do her own morning routine, reappearing through the bathroom doorway with the toothbrush in her mouth at one point to pass Rachel something she had left in there.

They didn’t own swimsuits, despite their shipping trips in San Francisco, and were forced to wear just their jeans and bras. Max took hold of Rachel’s hand and almost had to drag her into the bathroom to get started dyeing each others hair. They wouldn’t have any dye left for the return trip to San Francisco, but by then they wouldn’t need disguises, they’d simply be returning home.

At one point Max put a halt to their dyeing session, clutching at her hand as the pain seemed to return. Rachel had started to notice the signs of the imminent attacks, the twitch in her eye followed by the wince of pain and the sudden clenched fist. All she could do during those moments was put her arms around the girl and try to comfort her through them. If there was ever a time she had doubted Max, watching her struggle through this kind of pain was enough to erase all doubt in its entirety.

“We’re going to need to eat soon.” Max said after the pain had passed.

“What else happens today?” Rachel asked, gently touching Max’s cheek. “We need to be prepared.”

“After going back to Blackwell I… used my first photo jump. But… that shouldn’t be able to happen because I burned the photo in the past so… it might be safe.” Max said as Rachel ran the shower to rinse out the excess dye. 

“Might be?” Rachel said, checking the temperature of the shower.

“Well… it’s part of the timeline I wasn’t here for.” Max explained. “My first photo jump, when I… when Chloe…” She went quiet and looked away from Rachel.

“It’s okay.” She quickly put her arms Max, remembering the last time she had told this part of her story and how difficult it had been then. “I remember, and you fixed it. So don’t dwell on it, we’ll just have to hope the other… you? Doesn’t use many rewinds.”

Max nodded and smiled weakly. “Okay… we need to rinse your hair.” The small girl said, getting back to the task at hand.

Rachel let out a small groan, wishing they’d done this before they left where they could remove the shower head from the wall. She also wished they were simply washing the whole thing back out, but leaned under the running water as instructed. Max took control, tilting her a little further forward and running her small hands through Rachel’s hair. They were pushed close together in a small space, making it difficult to concentrate on anything other than her small hands and petite form close by. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions under control, knowing how emotionally charged she could get.

“All done.” Max said, stepping back and handing her one of the towels.

Rachel quickly wrapping her hair in the towel and tipping it back onto her head. “Your turn.” She said, noticing a small grin on Max’s face.

Max tilted her head under the shower as instructed, allowing Rachel to clear the excess dye from her hair too. It was an easier job when Max had much shorter hair, she could have done it herself but they were supposed to be helping each other.

“You’re done.” She said, stepping back to pass Max a towel.

The petite girl had other ideas, turning around and flicking water at Rachel playfully. At first she was stunned, then decided to get revenge, picking up the girl and putting her under the shower completely, soaking them both fully.

Max couldn’t stop laughing, the towel fell from Rachel’s head as she tickled the smaller girl for her audacity to throw water at her. She caught sight of her now black hair and stopped, noticing how amazing Max looked with the same hair.

“Now we match…” Max grinned, gently taking some of Rachel’s hair in her hand and placing it to her own.

“How do I look?” Rachel asked, for the first time in a long time she was uncertain, even shy.

“Hella amazing.” Max answered quietly, running her hand through the hair as the water still feel on the both of them.

She knew they should move away from each other, to get on with something else and distract themselves with something more important. 

Max didn’t stop playing with Rachel’s hair and she couldn’t break the eye contact with the blue eyed girl before her. One brush of the lips was all it took to lock them together under the falling water, with nobody around to distract them from their emotions.


	19. Decision's Made

They hadn’t expected it, the sudden surge in their emotions, the desire to kiss overwhelming them so completely. It had been beneath the surface for weeks, teasing them, torturing them to act. It’s part of why Rachel had needed that release, the touch of another body, the moment of pleasure that Jen had been so willing to provide. It was strange to think that only a day before she had been in a shower with Jen, now she was in a shower with Max, teasing each other with the soft kiss laced so heavily with their emotions.

Max was already taking control by undoing Rachel’s wet jeans and pushing them down her legs. The shy girl Rachel was so familiar with was replaced with confidence for what she wanted. The jeans hit the floor with a wet splat, making them both smile into the kiss as something they’d wanted was finally happening. She undid Max’s jeans as the girl bit her bottom lip, gently pulling on her until they engaged once more in a passionate kiss, teasing the other’s tongue.

Taking hold of Max’s left hand she pinned her to the wall, pressing their bodies together as Rachel enjoyed the touch of Max’s skin against her own. She didn’t want to rush it, to brush past such an intimate moment she had been imagining for so long. With her free hand she traced her fingers down the girl’s side, over the fabric of her bra to her side. Max had her right hand on Rachel’s neck, holding her to their kiss.

As Max’s touch started to slacken she held onto her, hoping their moment wasn’t about to end early.

Their lips parted and Max managed to utter one word. “Rach…”

The small girl’s eyes rolled back and she went limp, suddenly dropping her weight into Rachel’s arms who panicked to catch her. She awkwardly held onto Max, trying not to let her fall and nudged the shower taps off before finally easing the girl to the floor.

“Shit… Max!” She called out, gently tapping the girl’s face. “Come on Max, come to…” She said, trying to shake the girl awake.

She had no idea what to do, this was the first time she’d actually seen Max pass out and she had no idea if it was down to a rewind or something the girl hadn’t told her. Leaving Max lying on the shower floor for a moment she stood up and ran her hands through her hair, trying to think of what to do.

“Fuck…” She muttered, looking at Max’s unconscious form. “Fuck Max…” She paced the floor until she finally had a plan.

She laid two towels out on the bathroom floor and awkwardly moved Max onto it, then wrapped her up in the towel to keep her warm. Using the towel as a sort of sled she pulled Max into the bedroom, careful not to rip the towels so they didn’t have to pay for them, and dragged Max alongside one of the beds. She rushed back into the bathroom and towelled herself down, trying not to get cold herself, trying to think of what to do next.

Knowing she needed to keep Max warm and in a recovery position helped, but right then the girl was lying on her back while she made plans. “Shit.” She mumbled, rushing back into the bedroom.

She sat Max up as a plan came to her, to keep her comfortable and warm at the same time. Sitting on the edge of the bed she hooked her arms awkwardly under Max’s and lift upwards, pulling her up onto the bed with her. With the smaller girl finally on the bed she rolled Max onto her side and awkwardly climbed out from the bed, covering the girl she cared about with the covers to keep her warm.

Slumping down on the floor she sighed, annoyed that their time together had once again been cut short by an outside force. Given time to think, she knew she shouldn’t keep looking for the opportunities to be with her, she shouldn’t even be giving in to those emotions, especially for Chloe’s sake, who she kept forgetting at a time she shouldn’t.

“See Chloe… I’m still fucking up.” She whispered, leaning against the other bed in just her bra and underwear. “But you know what she’s worth, don’t you? It’s why you’re with her.” She smirked, almost able to hear Chloe’s response.

_“I always told you she was worth it.”_

“I never believed you… never thought someone who abandoned you could be that awesome.” She sighed, wishing Chloe was with them now.

With nothing else to do while Max was unconscious Rachel got dressed and slipped out of the hotel room to increase their stay by another night in case Max hadn’t recovered. She also took the opportunity to get the medical bag from the car in case Max needed something from it.

She ordered room service to make sure she’d eaten, even ordering something for Max if she woke up famished, but there was no movement from the girl. Taking her sketch pad and pencils from the art bag she sat beside Max on the bed, checking her pulse and temperature as she’d been taught, then flipped open the pad for something to continue sketching. She settled on the two beautiful eyes, Max’s eyes, that so captivated her. Similar to Chloe’s but so different too.

Every stroke of the pencil across the page was carefully measured and applied, just to complete the eyes as perfectly as she could imagine them. If there was anything she could be proud about, it was her measure of perfection in her work. Her grades weren’t flukes, they were real dedication to being the best she could be, even if it tired her out. Everybody expected it of her, and she expected it of herself.

 _Except when I started fucking up._ She thought, placing the pencil on the page. _We’re so close… I could tell you how I feel… leave you a note to find. But Max…_

She looked at the girl beside her who had been through the worst pain over the last three days, who she could honestly say she cared deeply about, maybe as much as she felt for Chloe.

 _I won’t ruin your future._ She thought, leaning over to kiss Max’s cheek. _I just hope I have a place in it with you._

* * *

 

Like a heavy weight was being removed from Max’s head she opened her eyes to the sunlight trickling into the hotel room. Slowly she rolled over and found Rachel sleeping beside her, her sketchpad lying on her chest. She let out a sigh and carefully sat up, her muscles complaining at her after going without use.

“Max?” Rachel said, quickly sitting up as though in shock. “Holy shit you’re back!” She yelled, wrapping her arms around Max’s neck.

“Yeah.” She answered, returning the hug weakly.

“I’ll order us breakfast.” Rachel said, quickly turning away and using the phone for room service.

Max tentatively climbed off of the bed and knelt down beside her bag to look for something to wear other than the underwear she was still wearing. She grabbed out a bra, underwear, jeans and a red vest top, then made her way into the bathroom, pushing it closed to give herself some privacy but without locking it.

“Food’s on its way up.” Rachel said through the door. She could imagine the girl standing on the other side of it, waiting for her to come out.

While her muscles felt so stiff she actually felt fully refreshed, almost like her time unconscious had actually revitalised her tired body, giving it more reserves of energy. Her muscles were just shrugging off a period without use, rather than being down to an actual weakness.

The last time she’d felt this way was when her powers had gone into overload, or what Chloe thought had been an overload. It was something she kept thinking about as she changed before opening the door, showing Rachel a smile before giving her another proper hug.

“You okay?” Rachel asked kindly, taking hold of her hand as they made their way back to the beds.

“My head feels… weird.” She answered, carefully sitting on the bed. “But I… don’t even remember dreaming just… absence.”

“What… do you remember last?” Rachel sounded worried, something Max hated to hear in her normally confident voice.

“You.” She answered, placing a hand to Rachel’s cheek. “I… wish I could kiss you and say everything’s fine but…”

“We can’t let it reach that point again.” Rachel nodded. “I don’t want to ruin your relationship with Chloe.”

“Thank you.” She whispered, pulling Rachel’s head to hers and touching their noses. “Not long… right?”

“It’s Thursday.” Rachel answered, placing a hand to Max’s neck to hold the connection a little longer.

“When we’ve eaten… we really need to go. If I pass out during photo jumps then the next one will last until the tornado. You’ll have to look after me.” Max said sadly. “If we can’t do this… we stay here.”

“I’ll look after you.” Rachel said kindly. “Max… I have your back, no matter what, just like Chloe.”

When they’d finished their breakfast they packed up their things and checked out of the hotel. When the car was loaded Rachel got into the driver’s seat while Max sat in the back, opening and closing her left hand as she could feel the spikes of pain as a rewind took place. If she was right, the other her had just broken into Nathan’s room and was rewinding the damage to the door.

“Everything okay?” Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder at her.

“We’re running out of time.” She answered. “Let’s get to the motel.”

Her plan had solidified as they’d eaten their meal. There was a motel not far from Arcadia Bay which she and Chloe had passed on their way out of the Bay, it would survive the storm without harm, giving them a place to spend a night or two that was close enough to the town so they could make it to the cliff.

Something about her time unconscious was itching at the back of her mind, she hadn’t slept, but she hadn’t been that hungry either. She hadn’t eaten at all on the Wednesday, losing it to dye their hair and then passing out. But she’d woken up refreshed, ready for the day ahead. She clenched and unclenched her left hand, wondering when the next rewind would take place. She hadn’t exactly kept track of the time when they were looking for clues about Rachel, who was sat in front of her, safe and sound.

When they reached the motel Max climbed out of the car with some cash and went into the front office to pay for a room. As she was crossing the car park with a room key she noticed a couple of men in suits getting out of their own car, a serious look on their faces. One of the men looked at her and smiled strangely, which she returned in her own polite way.

She tossed Rachel the room key as she got closer and turned to look at the men as they exited the front office with their own key.

“Alright lass?” One of the men said, walking towards their car.

“Yeah.” She answered, offering a small wave before turning to follow Rachel inside.

She closed the room door and peeked around the voil on the window at the men. Something about them felt wrong to her, out of place especially for Arcadia Bay.

“What’s up?” Rachel asked from one of the beds.

“Probably nothing.” She answered, allowing the voil to fall back into place. “They just remind me of somebody. I don’t know who.”

“Jeffershit?” Rachel laughed, using Chloe’s choice of words that Max had used when telling her the story.

“Maybe.” She said, sitting beside Rachel and leaning against her.

“Let’s… go over the day.” Rachel said, taking hold of Max’s hand. “I don’t want anymore surprises.”

“Well… we’ve already bashed in Nathan’s door to find the evidence from him. I rewound that.” She started. “Then we talked to Frank and got the evidence from him.”

“That fucker still has my bracelet.” Rachel grumbled. “Could we get that back before he gets cooked?”

Max tried not to laugh at her choice of words and shook her head. “No time.”

“Damn.”

“Then Chloe and I get all deductive and find the Dark Room.” She said, looking at Rachel who merely nodded. “We… hoped we’d find you there.”

“Well you did find me Max…” Rachel said, her grip on Max’s hand getting a little tighter.

“When we found the pictures we go to the junkyard, and find… the other girl I suppose.” Max sighed, thinking of the other person who had taken Rachel’s place. “From there… Blackwell looking for Nathan. But that’s also where I jumped to it with a photo so…”

“You don’t know anything after that.” Rachel nodded. “Okay… so you have two nights that you don’t recall living through.”

“But I know I’ll try to photo jump from the Dark Room, when I was there so… maybe I’ll pass out again then.” Max finished, far too comfortable to move away from Rachel’s side. “I don’t know when I’m going to pass out.”

As the day slowly slipped by, Rachel took out her sketchpad and began drawing again while Max sat beside her, watching her careful strokes with the pencil as she worked diligently on a sketch of Jen. She noticed how Jen wasn’t wearing anything but her underwear and gave Rachel a quizzical look, but the girl said nothing, merely smirking.

“Max… I need to ask something, and it’s risky as hell, but… I want to do it.” Rachel said quietly.

Max turned to look at her, worried she was about to ask to see Chloe. “We can’t see anybody.” She said sadly. “I want to see her too but…”

“Not that.” Rachel shook her head. “I… want to go to the Junkyard, after you and Chloe have been there.”

“Jefferson will be there at some point, we can’t risk it.” Max said, already hating the idea.

“I know that Max but… look I spent a lot of time there with Chloe, and after tomorrow it will never be the same again. I want to see the place where I have so many good memories with her, I want to collect some of the things we will lose in the storm…” Rachel argued, putting her art things away.

Max chewed over the idea, trying to wrap her head around the logistics of it. She didn’t want to run these kinds of risks, even if she’d only been recalled to Arcadia Bay by her powers acting strangely. She ran a hand through her black hair and finally nodded her consent.

“Fine. But my rules apply…”

“No messing up the timeline, no interference.” Rachel nodded. “I know.”

“Rach… we need to be really fucking careful, if we fuck anything up… I may never come back to save you.” She said, having theorised over and over again what changing her personal timeline could do.

“We’ll be careful.” Rachel agreed, standing up and walking over to the table in front of the window to stand by Max. “When can we go?”

Max took her phone from her pocket to check the time, trying to guess where they would be. “Now… we should just miss Chloe.” She answered, pocketing the item and standing up when she saw the two men heading towards their vehicle.

“Let’s go then.” Rachel said with a smile, pulling Max away from the window towards the door.

Max kept a close eye on the two men as they got into their own vehicle, offering a polite wave as the man who spoke to her earlier waved kindly. Rachel was once again the designated driver in case of any momentary rewinds Max had forgotten about. It was a slow trip into Arcadia Bay, yet the entire way they could see the two men’s car slightly ahead.

Rachel parked the car a short distance from the junkyard, where they both got out and walked through the trees to avoid the main road. As they got closer they could hear crying, making Max freeze. Chloe was still there, heartbroken at the discovery they had just made. Rachel’s hand found Max’s as they remained still, as close to the junkyard as they dared to get while Chloe and her Max were there together.

“Poor Chloe…” Rachel whispered, edging closer to Max. “I hate hearing her like this.”

“So do I…” Max muttered, wanting to rush out there and comfort her girlfriend.

She’d already heard Chloe cry this way once and it had pulled at her heartstrings then, but to hear her this way for a second time with no way of comforting her was killing her slowly. After everything Chloe had been through, the five years where she hadn’t contacted her, this was the worst time to be apart from her. Rachel kept a strong grip on her arm as she started to shift forwards, to comfort the girl she loved.

The sun had started to set, and the darkness had begun to creep into the junkyard by the time the sobbing became quieter followed by a few sniffs. Max knew what was coming next, the rage Chloe was about to show, the vengeance she was wanting.

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” Chloe shouted. “That motherfucker… that fucking fucker is going to fucking die!”

Just hearing Chloe’s voice again brought a tear to Max’s eye, even when it was filled with pain she had missed it more than she knew.

“Chloe… think about it…” They heard another Max say.

“I have, that fucking asshole needs to die. Are you with me, or not?” Chloe growled, her voice tinged with anger.

“I’m with you Chloe, just… oh fuck…” The other Max said.

Rachel and Max waited quietly for the truck’s engine to start and the sound of the vehicle to move away. They had no idea when or if Jefferson would show up to check on the grave, and decided to wait a few minutes before they broke cover and rushed through the Junkyard to Chloe and Rachel’s hideout.

It was exactly as Max remembered, including her own addition to the graffiti on the wall. Rachel looked at it with a small smile on her face.

“Sorry… I just…” Max started to say, feeling it was intrusion into their friendship.

“Your name belongs there.” Rachel said, giving Max’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Just like we belong with you.”

Max couldn’t stop herself from smiling at Rachel’s choice of words, it was something she sorely needed to hear after hearing her girlfriend crying in pain. They remained in the hideout for a short time while Rachel looked at all of her old things, touching the worn friendship bracelets on the side.

“I remember when we made these.” She said, crouching down and looking at them more closely. “That’s not true… I made them. Chloe made a joke about them but wore it anyway.”

“She’d do anything for you.” Max uttered, sitting on the old carseat. “I was always following her around.”

“You were her inspiration to do adventurous things.” Rachel laughed, pocketing the bracelets. “And I was… sort of hers.” Her smile faltered, but max quickly placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Still are.” Max grinned. “Look at the trouble you’ve caused me.”

“I hope… really hope… we can stay together, the three of us.” Rachel said, sitting on the seat against the wall.

“We will.” Max answered quickly, it was what she wanted after all. “Chloe is… the one who wanted me to try to find you again, she couldn’t leave Arcadia Bay believing you could still be alive out there.”

“She never gave up.” Rachel smirked, looking around the interior one last time.

“We’d better go, before Jeffershit comes looking to see if we found you.” Max said, climbing out of the low seat and helping Rachel to her feet.

“That… sounds so confusing.” Rachel chuckled, picking up a few other keepsakes.

“Believe me… it is.” Max grinned as they carefully made their way back across the junkyard to the grave.

When Rachel stopped beside it for a moment she looked in at the poor girl who had been her decoy, a sadness in her eyes that Max didn’t want to see. She took hold of Rachel’s hand and gently pulled her away from the grave, not wanting her to wallow in her thoughts at that moment. When they made it to the trees it wasn’t long before they heard another vehicle’s engine die, the sound of a car door closing and the sounds of footsteps running closer.

“Fuck!” They heard a male voice, recognisable as Mark Jefferson. Rather than leave the junkyard they remained hidden, listening as they heard a scuffling sound, then he spoke again. “Where are you…? Yes we can still do this, but I need to remove an obstacle.” There was silence for a moment as he spoke on what they assumed was his phone. “No it won’t be a problem, just make sure you’re ready. We won’t need to do it that way.”

Max kept a tight hand on Rachel’s, worried the girl may try to get her revenge on the man who had masterminded, watched and taken pictures of her drugged state.

“I… really want to beat the shit out of him right now.” Rachel whispered into Max’s ear, her right hand clenched, the knuckles white.

“No interference.” Max hissed, taking hold of Rachel’s hand and looking into her eyes that were filled with rage. “He gets what’s coming to him.”

They heard a car door open and the sounds of struggling gradually growing closer to the burial site.

“See what happens when you run your mouth off?” Jefferson said angrily. “We could have avoided this.”

“This isn’t my fault! It was that Caulfield girl and her dyke bitch friend!” Another voice said, which Max recognised as Nathan.

“Oh shit…” Rachel breathed.

“But if you had stayed calm, relaxed, and done as I had told you, we wouldn’t have this problem.” Jefferson said, sounding more patriarchal. “Rachel would be alive and we wouldn’t be dealing with this.”

“What are we going to do?” Nathan said, sounding worried.

Jefferson was quiet for a moment, Max could imagine the calculating look on his face and it made her sick to think of it. She felt Rachel’s arm around her waist, comforting her.

“We… don’t need to hear this.” Rachel whispered, gently pulling Max away from the junkyard. “No interference, but it doesn’t mean…”

“You’re right.” Max nodded, following Rachel’s guiding hand in the dark.

They made their way through the trees back towards the main road, careful not to trip on any of the roots that stuck out of the ground oddly. Max would have guessed they were about halfway back to the car when they heard a gunshot split the silent night. She reached out her left hand, ready to change time, when Rachel took hold of her hand, lacing their fingers together.

“No.” Rachel said sadly. “It’s my choice Max… and that fucking asshole deserves it.”

Max looked at Rachel’s eyes, lit up by the two moons above them and nodded solemnly. It was her rule not to interfere, and it was Rachel’s vengeance to be had. She allowed Rachel to guide her back towards the car where she got into the front passenger seat. Rachel once again took the wheel, starting the engine and drove them away from the junkyard.

On the way back to the motel Max was absently looking out of the window as Arcadia Bay passed by, she wasn’t aware of the detour Rachel had made until she saw Chloe’s truck outside her home. Max found herself looking at the bedroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Chloe’s blue hair, anything to see her again.

“Worth a shot.” Rachel said gently, tapping Max on the knee as they went past the house.

“For me?” Max asked, turning around in the seat to get one last glimpse at a place she had considered a second home.

“Both of us.” Rachel smirked. “It was weird to hear another you though.”

“Tell me about it.” Max said, turning back around. “Two weeks.” She smiled, counting down the days. “Two weeks and I can wrap my arms around that beautiful fucking punk.”

Rachel laughed and nodded. “Hopefully she doesn’t punch me first.”

They were almost out of Arcadia Bay when Max felt the pressure behind her eyes and shut them tightly. She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate through the pain in her head.

“Rach… it’s time.” She muttered, trying to warn the girl who was looking after her.

The first bout of dizziness passed quickly, it had only been a short jump into the past but it still worried her. Rachel pulled the car over onto the side of the road, killed the engine and leaned over Max to tip her seat back. Her black hair tickled Max’s face, but she was more concerned with the coming onslaught of photo jumps she had put herself through. Rachel sat back in her seat and grabbed hold of Max’s left hand, refusing to let go.

“We’ll stay here for the night… I won’t be able to lift you at the motel anyway.” She said, quickly glancing around the dark road they had pulled onto the side of.

“Rach… in a few hours... everything is going to go to hell.” Max said, feeling the pain behind her eyes building up once more. “Don’t stick around if we have to get out of here… okay? Keep us safe. I want to see Chloe… I want to kiss her again… I want…” The pain overwhelmed her before she got to finish her sentence.

* * *

 

“Tick tock Max. Time is not on your side.” Maxine said, sitting opposite her at a table in the Two Whales Diner.

“Why am I back here?” Max asked, looking around the diner at all of the people she had decided to let die.

“You keep messing around with your powers. Boohoo Chloe died, boohoo Rachel’s gone. What about everybody else?” Maxine said icily.

“Chloe was... is my priority.” Max said, quickly correcting herself.

“But you were going to fuck her best friend in the shower, some girlfriend you are.” Maxine said viciously. “How would she feel, knowing you slept with Rachel behind her back?”

“It’s not like that!” Max shouted angrily.

“Yes it is.” Maxine grinned. “All of those emotions you bottle up, shaking them around and around until they go POP!”

“I won’t cheat on Chloe! She means everything to me.” Max argued, pushing herself out of the seat and trying to walk away.

The people of the diner closed in, blocking her escape.

“Another you is about to make that decision… will they make the same one?” Maxine said, forcing Max to turn back to face her. “Or… do you think she’s another Max? One who’s lived a slightly different life and see’s the outcome differently?”

“Why am I back here?” Max asked again angrily. “Last time was because I fucked up my brain, but I’m fine now…”

“No. You think you’re fine. But you’re a messed up little girl playing with powers you don’t understand.” Maxine spat back, glaring at her with Max’s own blue eyes.

“Oh shut the fuck up.” Chloe said, barging her way through the crowd and putting an arm around Max.

“Yeah, you talk far too fucking much for a subconscious.” Rachel said, following in Chloe’s wake and standing on the other side of Max, putting her own arm around Max’s waist.

“See bitch, we’re the three fucking musketeers, and you’re just a pain in the fucking ass.” Chloe grinned.

“I make my own choices.” Max said, putting her arms around the two girls beside her. “Arcadia Bay survived the tornado once… and something tells me it can survive it again.”

“Working another miraculous theory?” Maxine asked, sitting back to eye up the three girls arrayed against her.

“It’s not like you offer any.” Rachel said, putting a hand on her hip.

“You caused this Max… you caused it all by fucking around with time.” Maxine said, finally dropping the act she’d been putting on. “Two of you in one place at the same time? Ripping a hole in time to save somebody who didn’t deserve to be saved? They had better be damn important to you.”

Max looked at the two girls beside her. Chloe’s blue hair hidden so badly under her dirty beanie, the pretty blue eyes she had spent most of her childhood waking up to, wearing her brown jacket over her white vest top that barely hid her bra. Then she looked at Rachel with her beautiful blonde hair and hazel eyes, the red plaid shirt she liked to wear over a white top of her own and the black ripped jeans that just completed her look. They were both important to her, they’d both earned their places in her heart and it made her smile to think they would come to her defence.

“Yeah… they’re worth it.” Max said with a smile. “I’ll never change that decision.”

“You think this is the end?” Maxine laughed. “I’ll see you again.” She smirked.

The diner and the people in it started to rush away from her into darkness.

* * *

 

When she awoke she looked out of the windscreen at the dirt road she had seen in the visions so many times. Looking to her left she saw Rachel beside her, staring out at the trees that were being bent in the howling winds. Max could hear the hammering rain on the roof of the car and gently leaned over to take Rachel’s hand, making her jump.

“Fucking hell Max, say something next time.” Rachel said, her eyes wide as she took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry.” She said, squeezing Rachel’s hand. “Are you ready to see… what you and Chloe are worth to me?”

“Both of us?” Rachel asked curiously.

“Long story.” Max smirked, releasing Rachel’s hand and opening the door to step out into the howling winds.

“I didn’t want to take the car any further in case…” Rachel started to say as she got out of the car, pulling her jacket tight around her.

“It’s fine… we’re close enough and it’s not our car to risk.” Max shouted, pulling her own jacket tighter and awkwardly making her way down the dirt road.

Rachel caught up to her and they put an arm around the other, helping to remain upright as they crest the rise and looked out on Arcadia Bay as a massive tornado bore down on the town. Max stared at the beast, planting her feet firmly in the ground to stop herself from being pushed over.

“Oh… fuck.” Rachel said, barely audible over the howling winds.

Max looked past the tornado to the lighthouse, looking for any sign of Chloe or herself, wanting some kind of sign that they were safe. She felt Rachel’s hand in hers as they stood together on the cliff, staring at the same tornado that Chloe and Max had stared down together. Pieces of broken paper whipped past them, and Max almost believed she saw a hint of blue on one of them as it flew past.

“I’ll see you soon Chloe.” She said, resting her head against Rachel’s as the storm once again laid waste to Arcadia Bay.

_Yes… they’re worth it to me._


	20. Light the Fuse

"Well? Anything?” Chloe asked, looked around the dark junkyard as the ghostly memories slowly started to disappear. “Max?” She said, looking beside her.

Panic clutched at her chest when she noticed her girlfriend had disappeared. One minute she had been right beside her, using those wonderful powers that had given her a chance to live, but now she was gone.

“Max!” She shouted, standing up to look around for her. “Come on, don’t fuck around!” She yelled. “This isn’t the time for fucking games babe!”

When there was no response she started pacing, pulling her jacket tighter around herself, worrying if Max was okay, whether it had something to do with the powers she had begged her to use to find Rachel.

“MAX!” She shouted even louder than before as tears started to spill down her face. “Max…” She whimpered, afraid she had lost the one person she wanted more than anything in the world.

She was about to crash down onto the floor when she saw the bright light of a cars headlights, illuminating her truck on the other side of the trash. Cautiously she walked the path that had been cleared to provide access to the grave and stood beside her truck, looking into the bright beams of the car ahead.

The lights and engine died, then the passenger door opened and a short person climbed out, barely visible in the dark.

Chloe was about to yell out and ask who it was when she glimpsed blue eyes framed by black hair before she was engulfed in a full body hug, the girl’s legs wrapping around her waist unexpectedly. But she knew only one person who would do that, who would hug her so completely and trust her not to drop her.

“I missed you.” Max cried into her ear. “I’ve really really fucking missed you.”

“Whoa whoa, slow down… you’ve only been gone ten minutes.” Chloe answered, holding Max in her arms and placing her on the hood of the truck.

“Try almost seven months…” Max muttered, nuzzling her nose into Chloe’s neck. “Seven fucking months.” She said again.

“How… what?” Chloe said, confused. “Max… explain…”

“It’s…” Max started to say, releasing her legs from around Chloe and carefully easing her head away from Chloe. “Easier to just…” She looked to her left, Chloe’s right, and she followed her gaze as another person approached.

“Hey.” Rachel said, offering a small wave.

“Rachel?!” Chloe said, almost taking a step back but held close by Max’s touch.

“Do… I get a hug too?” Rachel asked quietly.

Chloe looked at Max, then back at Rachel. It wasn’t making any sense, none of it. Max was looking at her curiously, as was Rachel who seemed shy, even nervous at asking for the hug.

“Come here.” Chloe said, keeping one arm around Max and reaching out for Rachel with the other.

She wanted to be mad, for the fact she cheated, the fact she’d disappeared for six months, but right then she was more relieved to see Rachel alive. The blonde girl rushed forward and wrapped her arms around both Max and Chloe, each of them holding the other tightly.

Rachel’s shoulders seemed to relax at the touch, like she’d been tense about how Chloe was going to react. For now she was just relieved to see her alive, and safe.

“We have a lot to tell you.” Max said sadly as their hug broke apart with Rachel moving away from the two of them. “A lot, and… it’s not going to be easy.”

“Why? What’s happened?” Chloe asked, confusion lacing her voice. She was trying so hard to hide it, to remain confident.

“Chloe… for me it’s been seven long months without you.” Max said, taking hold of the front of Chloe’s jacket.

“And she hasn’t shut up about you either.” Rachel added with a small smile.

“We can check into a motel… or we can go to Portland and get a hotel room but…” Max pulled Chloe a little closer. “I don’t want this conversation in the junkyard.”

Chloe looked between the two of them, noticing the sadness Rachel was unable to hide behind her normal confidence.

“Hotel.” Chloe said, kissing Max gently, who returned it enthusiastically.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Rachel said, turning away to return to their car. “Kelly will kill us if we leave her car in shit hole Oregon.”

“Kelly?” Chloe asked, looking into Max’s eyes for answers.

“I told you… a long story.” Max said sadly. “But… I have you back now… right?”

“I’m never leaving you.” Chloe said confidently.

“You have no idea how much I wanted to hear that.” Max said, holding tight to Chloe despite their intentions to leave the junkyard.

“Max… are you okay?” She asked, looking at the black hair and tears in her blue eyes.

“No.” She answered, trying to wipe the tears away.

Chloe pulled her into another tight hug, allowing the girl to cry into her jacket. She hated to see Max cry, it was the one thing that broke her heart, to see Max in such a state without knowing how to cheer her up. As kids she had always been the one to cheer Max up, it was part of their relationship.

“Come on Maxi… let’s go.” Chloe said gently, easing the girl off her. “You have all night… and the rest of our lives… to cuddle me.”

Max smiled weakly and nodded, sliding off the hood of the truck and standing in front of Chloe. The smaller girl opened the driver side door and slid in, the light showing off just how much she had changed. Completely different clothes, black hair, the dark bags under her eyes and a bandage on her left hand.

“What happened to your hand?” Chloe asked as she climbed in after Max.

“Oh? I… you’ll see.” Max answered. “Give me your phone?” She said, holding out her right hand.

“Okay?” She said curiously, pulling the phone out of her pocket and handing it to Max.

Max dialled in a number and quickly put it on speaker phone.

“Took you long enough.” Rachel said through the speaker. “You okay Max?”

“I will be.” Max answered, looking at Chloe nervously.

“I’m fine too Rach.” Chloe said, trying to bite back the snark.

“Good, because we have a lot to talk about.” Rachel said, sounding as though she was smiling. “You have my number, so call if we change plans.”

“Okay, see you at the hotel.” Max said, hanging up the phone and quickly adding Rachel’s number to the contacts under Chloe’s watchful gaze.

“So… seven months with her?” Chloe asked as she started the engine.

“It wasn’t all fun and games…” Max said defensively. “You’ll… see. We need to go back to San Francisco after Portland. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I’d really like some answers soon.” Chloe said, carefully reversing her truck past Rachel’s car and turning around.

“I went back in time… completely by accident.” Max answered. “I ended up there… when Rachel went missing.”

“Like… the junkyard? When she was buried?” Chloe asked, already weaving the truck back towards the highway, noticing the lights of Rachel’s car behind them.

“They were going to abduct her. She was alive all along, some kind of sale.” Max explained, pulling her knees up onto the trucks bench. “I saved her Chloe… because… I couldn’t let that happen to her.”

“So why didn’t you contact me? Why did you let me go through all that?” Chloe asked, trying not to get angry at the thought of Rachel and Max living it up while she struggled to get through one day to the next.

“I made you a promise… a few hours ago… not to mess up the timeline, to give you these weeks with me.” Max said sadly. “You have no idea how many times I wanted to call you, or email you… or come to Arcadia Bay but I made you a promise and I didn’t know what would happen if I fucked up…”

Chloe glanced at her and noticed she was crying again. “It’s okay.” She said gently, reaching out to place a hand on Max’s knee.

“Chloe I haven’t spent a day where I haven’t been thinking about you, wanting to hold you, to kiss you or to… to…” Max said, holding Chloe’s hand tightly. “You gave me the best night of my life and I haven’t had sex in seven months!” She said, a small smirk on her face.

Chloe let out a small laugh at Max’s confession. “I don’t know whether to be happy you’ve remained faithful, or sad that you’ve been denied something you really enjoyed.” She grinned, trying to turn such a strange event into a joke.

The smile on Max’s face quickly disappeared, though she tried to hide it by looking out of the passenger side window. There was something else different about her, not just her looks but the way she was holding herself, a little more confident of herself.

“Hey hippie, you can’t keep me in suspense all the way to Portland… tell me what happened.” She said, trying to sound cheerful.

“Chloe… I killed people to save Rachel.” Max answered, surprising her.

“Bullshit.” Chloe grinned, trying to laugh.

“They… I…” She took a deep breath, screwed up her eyes in the way that said she was working up to something. “I had to use my powers to save her, and I ended up killing them… because they kept killing Rachel, or hurting me.”

Chloe didn’t know how to take it, how to hear little Max had gone pure badass to save somebody else’s life. For a moment she remained quiet, until she heard a small sob from Max and quickly pulled the girl across the seat into her side.

“It’s okay Max.” She said, trying to comfort her.

“You hate me for it… I knew you would, I knew it.” Max sobbed quietly.

“Fuck no!” Chloe quickly said, indicating to pull onto the side of the road so Rachel didn’t crash into them. “No way could I hate you for saving her, okay?” She said, pulling over and quickly putting on the parking brake so she could hold Max properly. “I will never hate you for being my hero.” She whispered, holding Max tightly.

“Chloe… I didn’t just kill them… I did it repeatedly. It just… it took over me, I wanted to make them hurt so much!” Max explained, pressing against Chloe like she wanted to just disappear into her.

“Like… when I wanted to kill Nathan?” Chloe asked, turning to press her back against the door and pulling Max onto her.

“I guess… yeah.” Max nodded, her black hair tickling Chloe’s nose.

Chloe’s phone started vibrating on the dashboard, causing Max to sit up and snatch it, hitting the answer key.

“Everything okay?” Rachel said through the speaker phone.

“Just having one of my breakdowns.” Max said, wiping the tears from her eyes and trying to put on a brave face.

Out of instinct Chloe put an arm around Max and pulled her back into her embrace, trying to comfort her again.

“Okay. Look I’ll go on ahead and see you both there… give you some time to talk.” Rachel said, surprising Chloe at how sincere she sounded. “Two rooms, right?”

“Yeah.” Max said, looking at Chloe through her tear filled eyes.

“See you both soon.” Rachel said before hanging up the phone.

They looked through the window as her car drove past, a small wave visible in the front window. Max dropped the phone back on the dashboard and once again snuggled into Chloe, nuzzling her neck and keeping a firm grip in her waist.

“Chloe… I don’t feel guilty for killing them…” She said after a long silence or just holding one another. “I just… it scares me how I could become… like that.”

“It’s… anger.” Chloe said, thinking back to when she had wanted to kill Nathan. “You… reach a point where it doesn’t matter anymore. I’d have killed Nathan if I had the chance, for what I thought he’d done to Rachel.”

“Am I a monster?” Max asked weakly.

“No Max.” Chloe said, heartbroken at the question, the idea that Max thought of herself as a monster. “Never a monster. So don’t ever think that, please.” She added, kissing Max’s head.

It took some time to calm Max down enough to continue their drive towards Portland. She had no idea how long Max had been keeping the belief pent up, but it all came tumbling out just like it had used to do when they were kids.

During the drive to Portland Max told her some of the earlier events of her months with Rachel, never giving much detail but enough to give Chloe some idea that they’d struggled. They hadn’t been living it large like she’d first assumed, they’d barely been living at all based on what Max was telling her. She couldn’t imagine Rachel living her life like that, cut off from other people and having to follow the strict rules Max must have tried to enforce to maintain the timeline.

When they reached the hotel and entered with their bags from the truck Chloe noticed Rachel was sat on a large couch in the lobby, flicking two room cards together out of apparent boredom. Chloe felt torn between running over to her and giving her another hug now that the shock had worn off, or yelling at her for lying to her for so many months.

As they approached the blonde girl she couldn’t stop herself from releasing Max to give Rachel a proper hug, wrapping her tightly in both arms.

“Hi to you too.” Rachel laughed, putting her arms around Chloe.

“Sorry but… seeing you alive...” Chloe said, slowly releasing the girl she had been thinking about over the last two weeks while with Max.

“Nice surprise, right?” Rachel smirked, passing one of the cards to Max.

“Yeah.” Chloe smiled. “A massive surprise.” She said, feeling rather awkward as she noticed her own feelings for Rachel beneath the surface.

“Let’s go up to our rooms… we… all need to talk.” Max said, taking hold of Chloe’s hand and leading her towards the elevators.

She looked round to Rachel who was following close behind, the same sad look in her hazel eyes. Chloe wanted to ask her what was wrong, to stop and hold the girl she’d missed so much but thought better of it as she was pulled into the waiting elevator.

The room they entered had a king size bed, which Chloe assumed was for her and Max. She dropped her bag on the floor by the door and noticed another travel bag already in the room. She didn’t think anything of it at first until Max dropped her bag from the truck on top of it.

“It really has been almost seven months… hasn’t it?” Chloe said, the full weight of the story finally sinking in. “Max… you were stuck in the past?”

The petite girl nodded as she kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed, a sad look in her own eyes as well now. Something weird was going on and Chloe knew it. Rachel kicked off her shoes and sat in one of the two available chairs, looking down at her hands like she was in some kind of trouble.

“Alright… what’s going on? Why do you both look so fucking sad when you should be happy?” She demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

“Max has told you about our first few months already?” Rachel asked quietly.

“That you were both depressed, struggling?” She said, recalling what little Max had told her. “Max didn’t tell me much.”

“Because there wasn’t much to tell. We spent days sitting in an apartment doing nothing.” Rachel said, sitting back in her chair and glancing at Max. “So… about four months ago I slipped out in the middle of the night and met some people, to escape… ya know?”

“You left Max alone?” Chloe said walking over to sit beside Max who cautiously rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

“I… was struggling with something and needed to just… get away from it. So… I met Kelly and Brooke, and I was introduced to their friend Jen.” Rachel said, continuing her story. “Well… Jen and I got really close and I slept with her, a few times.”

It was like a hammer blow to hear about Rachel sleeping with another girl, especially after their one night of passion. Chloe tried to bury the jealousy, telling herself she was with Max now, that it wasn’t her business what Rachel got up to.

“Max… found out. She woke up and noticed I was missing one night… then…” Rachel went quiet, glancing at Max.

“We kissed… and I rewound it.” Max said quietly, gently moving away from Chloe. “And I left. I walked out.”

“You… both kissed?” Chloe said, another hammer blow to her heart to think of Max kissing Rachel.

“I made a move on her… and she rewound it.” Rachel added quickly.

“But I kissed her back at first…” Max said, causing Rachel to shake her head.

“Why?” Chloe asked, trying to keep the heartbreak from her voice.

“I… like her.” Rachel said with a small shrug. “And I also like you.” She added.

“Max?” She said, looking at the dark haired girl who was slowly inching back across the bed to lean against the headboard.

“We’d been growing close, but… I was trying to ignore it. I… I’m so sorry Chloe!” She said, the tears in the corners of her eyes.

“It’s why she rewound and ran away.” Rachel added, leaning forward in her chair as though she wanted to comfort Max but thought better of it. “She… didn’t come back for two days.”

Chloe turned to look at Max who had pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her face behind them as she quietly sobbed. “It was one kiss… you rewound it.” She said, trying to comfort her girlfriend who was so broken up over it.

“We kissed again when I returned.” Max sobbed. “I… I… I initiated it, I kissed her.” She said, wiping her eyes on her sleeves, allowing Chloe to see the bandage on her left hand, something she still hadn’t explained.

“Chloe… we’ve kissed a few times, but nothing else. Never anything else. We couldn’t keep denying our feelings, it was breaking us apart when we did!” Rachel explained quickly. “But you… we have never ever stopped thinking about you.”

“Stopped long enough to lock lips.” Chloe spat out, feeling sick to her stomach.

“For fucks sakes, you’ve kissed me, you’ve kissed a few guys too!” Rachel said, sounding angrier. “Max only had me in a strange city, and she did nothing for three fucking months pining after you! And after seven months, even feeling the way she did, she only ever thought about getting back to you! You want to be mad at anybody? Be mad at me, but don’t take it out on Max who has no experience with this shit!”

“That’s not the point! Max and I were together while she was kissing you!” Chloe said, raising her voice a little more than she intended to.

“If you want to get fucking technical, Price, you two weren’t together! You were with me for those six months until you gave up on me and locked lips with Max.” Rachel argued back, crossing her arms smugly.

“She… was… ugh… fuck time travel.” Chloe said, falling back onto the bed as she tried to wrap her head around it.

“In fact… by your logic Chloe… you’re the one dating both of us.” Rachel continued. “Now I’m going to bed, it’s really late and we need to get to San Francisco tomorrow before Kelly misses her car too much.” Chloe sat up as Rachel leaned over Max and gave her a comforting hug. “It’ll be okay.” She said quietly, but loud enough for Chloe to hear.

Max nodded and whispered a quiet “Thanks” before Rachel took one look at Chloe and left their hotel room with her own keycard in hand.

“I… imagined that going better.” Chloe said, moving up the bed to sit beside Max who still had her knees pulled up to her chest.

“Chloe… I’m so sorry.” She muttered between small sobs. “I don’t know what came over me and… I feel like the worst most horrible girlfriend.”

Listening to Max put herself down was too much for Chloe, especially after everything she had gone through to bring Rachel back to her. Pulling Max towards her she wrapped the girl in her arms, trying to comfort her as best she could despite feeling betrayed by her actions and feelings for Rachel.

“I understand, okay?” She said consolingly. “I… kissed her the second day I started hanging out with her.” She admitted. “At least you lasted three months.”

Max let out a small laugh, replacing what should have been a sob. “She saved me…” She whispered softly, almost inaudible.

“What do you mean?” Chloe asked, finally getting Max to let go of her legs.

“I didn’t want to meet new people, I didn’t want to see the world… I wanted to hide, I wanted to disconnect until I could see you again.” She said, turning more into Chloe.

The sudden weight of Max against her forced her to lie back on the bed so Max could cuddle up to her, just like she’d done the night before.

“I… stopped living Chloe.” Max said starting to cry again. “Then… she kissed me and… I wanted to live, but I wanted to run. So I did, I ran.”

“You went back though…” Chloe said, trying not to feel jealous of something that happened months ago, at a time Max hadn’t actually returned to her life.

“I realised that if I did, you may not want me anymore.” She continued, burying her face in Chloe’s jacket. “So… I tried to do what you did, I tried to reinvent myself, to hide behind something and stay strong until…”

“Now.” Chloe said, nodding her understanding.

“And she helped me… she showed me how to live a little more, but I never stopped thinking about you, I never gave up hoping we could be together.” Max said, tilting her head back to look at Chloe, her eyes bloodshot from crying so hard. “I fucked up… and I’m so scared I’m going to lose you.”

Chloe looked into the eyes of the girl she had spent her childhood with, who she had missed for five solid years despite Rachel and everything else she had going on. The fear she could see in them, the amount of love hidden behind her blue eyes, she couldn’t stop herself from starting to forgive her. This was Max Caulfield, her best friend, her partner in time and as strange as it could sound, the absolute love of her life.

“You’ll never lose me Max.” Chloe said, gently wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m not letting you go, not again.”

“Chloe… I am so fucking sorry. Really, really sorry.” Max said again as fresh tears trickled down her cheeks.

“Yeah I’m… hurt…” Chloe said, refusing to release Max when she tried to pull away from her. “But… I can imagine seven months without contact when you really love somebody.” She added, thinking of the years without Max and the six months without Rachel.

“Chloe… I need to admit this before it rips me apart, but… during the week of the storm I had… episodes.” Max said, her hands clenching around Chloe’s jacket. “Pain in my hand, in my head… and I’d pass out during the photo jumps.”

“Oh… jeez Max, that’s…” Chloe said, hurting to find the words.

“The first jump, the first time I passed out… Rachel and I were dyeing our hair, so nobody would recognise us in Arcadia Bay…” She looked at Max curiously, unsure of where she was taking this story. “We… became closer, making out and… I wanted more, I wanted to… but I passed out from the photo jump.”

She didn’t know what to say to this admission, whether to laugh at the idea of things becoming hot and heavy and Max slumping out cold, or become upset at the fact Max had actually wanted to sleep with Rachel.

“Thank you… for being honest with me.” She said, trying hard not to become upset. “I guess we should thank you for photo jumping at that point.” She added, trying to joke about it.

“We never did anything since, ever. We had two more weeks to wait and we controlled it… Chloe… please don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, I get it.” Chloe said, trying to understand all of the emotions she was feeling, trying not to be angry at the girl who had sacrificed Arcadia Bay for her, or pushed her powers to find Rachel because she had asked it of her.

They lay in each others arms for some time as the images of Max and Rachel raced around her head, trying to comprehend how it could have happened or what would happen now. She took so long thinking that Max had gradually fallen asleep snuggled into her, her tears staining her face.

Rachel had been right when she said Max had no real experience with these kinds of emotions, Chloe was her first and only girlfriend, her first sexual partner, her first kiss. She couldn’t stay angry at her for being confused or feeling that way about somebody or unable to control the impulses.

 _But you should have known better Rachel._ She thought, getting angry at the girl she had missed for so long.

All of the anger she had felt when discovering Rachel’s thing with Frank, and then Jefferson, came rushing back to her. Then there was the fact Rachel had made out with Max, intending to take it further. If it wasn’t for the smaller girl cuddled into her arms she would have stormed over to Rachel’s room and demanded answers, demanded to know just what she was thinking.

She didn’t get much sleep that night as she tried to completely forgive Max, to absolve her just as easily as she had done for five years of no contact. Eventually she fell asleep with her head turned towards Max, their noses touching as she had tried to imagine doing nothing for seven months waiting to see Max again.

* * *

 

When Chloe woke up in the morning she noticed the lack of weight against her chest and sat up quickly, looking around for Max just as the dark haired girl came out of the door to the bathroom with Chloe’s toothbrush in her mouth, making her smile at the sight.

“Still stealing my toothbrush?” She asked, amazed at the sight of the new Max now that she had time to fully take in the change in hairstyle and clothing.

“Se’en munffs… you’re damn righ’ I am.” Max smiled with the toothbrush in her mouth.

“So what’s with the bandaged hand?” She asked again, noticing it once more.

“Show ‘ou in a minu’e” Max smirked, disappearing back into the bathroom to rinse.

Chloe shook her head and looked down at her own hands and the chipped blue nail varnish. After getting some sleep she felt less angry at Rachel for what had happened, especially as Max had told her about the week of the storm and their relationship. It was only natural for Rachel to try to move on if she thought she didn’t stand a chance. But coming onto Max, kissing Max. The jealous and angry emotions twisted in her stomach, knotting up and making her want to lash out at the blonde haired girl once more. It was difficult to contain how she was feeling, wondering if she was going to blow up at Max first because she was the closest. She felt betrayed, but she also knew Max would do anything in her power to make it up to her.

“You okay?” Max asked, tentatively reaching a hand out to Chloe.

“I have you… I’m fine.” Chloe said, trying to see the girl she had spent two weeks with, who she had finally admitted her feelings to only a week ago and who always brightened up her days.

“So… the bandage…” Max said, sitting beside Chloe. “You need to know I went through… a really bad time, I hated my powers, I hated myself.”

This admission hurt Chloe more than hearing about the kiss, thinking of Max possibly self harming. She wrapped her arm around Max’s waist and pulled her close.

“I hated… the fact that I liked… and… Chloe it ripped me apart.” Max whispered sadly. “I started scratching my hand, like a bad itch I was trying to get rid of. But I ended up ripping the skin.” She admitted quietly. “Rachel… stopped me by bandaging my hand, and keeping a close eye on me.”

“Okay? So why is it still bandaged?” Chloe asked gently, trying to understand.

“Well, while it healed I kept scratching it and… it scarred.” Max said, rolling up the sleeve on her left arm.

“Show me…” Chloe said, almost afraid of seeing the damage Max had done to herself because of how she was feeling.

Max tentatively held her left arm out to Chloe, who slowly started to unstrap the bandage, unwrapping Max’s arm slowly, waiting for the shock of seeing her scarred hand. As the bandage became loose and finally fell away there were no scars on the palm of her hand, but a small black spiral swirl moving clockwise from the centre of her palm to her thumb where it stopped.

“Jen and Rach suggested I get a tattoo… and I thought… why not something to cover up my scars?” Max explained as Chloe looked at the tattoo, tracing the single line around her palm.

“This must have hurt like a bitch.” Chloe smirked, admiring the pattern despite its simplicity.

“It was worth it.” Max shrugged. “But… Chloe… I wanted you to see me at my best, not my worst.” She said, pulling her hand from Chloe’s grip and turning her face towards her. “Do you still love me?” She asked.

Chloe looked into Max’s blue eyes, noticing the fear behind them and quickly nodded. “Yes Max. I love you.” She answered quickly, making Max smile happily before they kissed one another gently.

“I know I fucked up, you deserve better…” Max whispered as their lips parted. “I… can’t say how sorry I am.”

“I can’t say it’s fine that you kissed Rachel, or made out with her…” Chloe said, gently touching Max’s cheek. “It hurts… it’s going to hurt for a while.” She noticed the sadness in Max’s eyes and shook her head. “But I’m not leaving you, not after everything we went through. We’re Chloe and Max, remember?”

Max nodded her head and touched her nose to Chloe’s, indicating she wanted another kiss which Chloe happily provided despite the pain she was trying to ignore.

“I missed you.” Max breathed, keeping her forehead pressed against Chloe’s. “So. Fucking. Much.”


	21. And Run Away

All the way to San Francisco Max would repeat the words as she cuddled up to Chloe. Everytime they stopped for food or to get gas she would snuggle into Chloe and kiss her neck. Max was all over her, almost obsessively so, but Chloe wouldn’t tell her to stop, she couldn’t.

Chloe actually liked the fact Max was showing her affections more easily, kissing Chloe’s tattoo while wearing her beanie trying to be playful. She found it difficult to stay mad at the girl who was so happy to have her back in her life. At one point she allowed Max to drive her truck and found herself snuggled against Max in turn, unable to break away from the girl who had saved Rachel’s life because she’d practically demanded Max use her powers.

It was too difficult to stay mad at her, and it only became impossible once they reached San Francisco late that night.

Max had given her directions to the apartment she had shared with Rachel, where the three of them had climbed out of their vehicles and collected their bags. Rachel gave Chloe a sad smile as she ascended the stairs to the front door, unlocking it to allow them all to enter. 

When the light in their apartment came on the first thing Chloe saw was the wall of art above the dining table, dozens of photographs and sketches taped or tacked to the wall. She noticed the double bed and the sleeping bag on the floor, wondering who slept where or if they’d given up and just slept together. Rachel dropped her bag on the bed and started unpacking, then began repacking fresh clothes.

“Going somewhere?” Chloe asked, curious as to the plans.

“Yeah… actually…” Rachel said, putting a strand of hair behind her left ear. “I’m going to stay with Jen while you two… sort out however you want to be.” She explained, taking black hair dye out of the bag.

“What do you mean?” Chloe said, sitting in one of the chairs at the dining table as Max dropped her own bags by the bed.

“Well it’s a fucked up situation and rather than fuck it up some more I’m going to stay with friends. I always promised Max I wouldn’t fuck up your futures and… me being in the way won’t help.” Rachel explained, looking at Chloe with the same sad look. “Plus I need to take Kelly’s car back so… may as well give you two time.”

Max sat on the edge of the bed by Rachel, watching her pack. It gave Chloe a chance to look at their art wall some more. Starting from the left she could see what they had meant by not living. They looked sad in their pictures, almost empty. The spark of life she had seen in Max when they’d started dating was gone. Working her way along the wall she noticed the change, more smiles and happiness that was barely reaching their eyes. Finally she saw the pictures of Rachel and Max with other girls, the friends they had mentioned. The five of them all looked so happy, but the happiness never seemed to reach Max’s eyes despite the wide smile on her face. 

“Rachel sketched the pictures of you.” Max said gently. “I tried but… well you can see my results.”

Chloe laughed as she noticed the difference between Rachel’s work and Max’s, but appreciated it all the same. 

“I’m packed.” Rachel said, making Chloe turn to watch her. “Just… text me if I can come home, okay?” She said to Max who nodded.

The two girls embraced tightly, making Chloe feel bad for dislodging Rachel from the place she called home. Rachel released Max and put two bags over her shoulders, stopping to look at Chloe who gave a small nod and pulled Rachel into a small hug, despite how she was feeling.

“Chloe… don’t blame Max. You have no idea how much she’s missed you.” Rachel said as they parted. “She fucking adores you… and I…” She gently brushed a strand of blue hair from Chloe’s eyes. “I still care about you, and I care about Max too.” 

She didn’t know what to say to her, how to address how she was feeling about finding out they’d been making out and growing affectionate towards one another.

Max saw Rachel out, giving Chloe some more time to look at all of the pictures on the wall. It was almost a timeline of their months together, from the first few days to whenever the last picture had been taken.

“The yacht was on my birthday, because we missed Rachel’s when we fell out.” Max explained, having managed to quietly re-enter the apartment without Chloe hearing her.

“That’s when you two…” Chloe said, thinking of the two of them kissing.

“Yeah. She… told me not to do it if I’d regret it and…” Max went quiet, giving Chloe a little more time to take in the pictures.

She felt she could guess which of the girls was Jen by the way the other two girls she didn’t know were kissing in some of their pictures. Even some of the pictures of Rachel showed some sadness in her looks, usually when the shot was taken before she was aware of it. It was giving her some idea how their time in San Francisco had been, but the earlier days upset her, to think of them merely trying to exist to meet up with her, all because she’d asked Max not to change the timeline.

“I need to get a shower and wash the dye out.” Max said suddenly, grabbing a change of clothes from a chest of drawers. “There are drinks in the fridge… food too just… help yourself. This is your home too, until we… decide what to do.” She shrugged, quietly slipping into the bathroom.

Chloe couldn’t help but notice how broken Max seemed, despite the happiness she had displayed on the journey she seemed sad, uncertain. She stared at the pictures for a little longer as she heard the shower through the bathroom door.

_ I got my wish. Rachel’s alive.  _ She thought, looking at Rachel and Max together in one picture, the smiles on both of their faces.  _ Max even likes her… I knew they’d get along but…  _ In one of the pictures from a theatre Max was hiding behind her hands, trying to stop the person from taking the shot.  _ Why aren’t I more angry at them? Why has it been so fucking easy to forgive Max for betraying me?!  _

She folded her arms across her chest and started pacing the room, trying to understand her own emotional conflict. The deep ache to see Rachel again had always been with her, it had been the thing to stop her admitting her feelings to Max two weeks before as soon as the storm was over. It’s the argument she had with herself when deciding to move on from somebody who wasn’t coming back.

_ But she is back, she’s alive because I asked Max to find her. _ She looked at her left hand, remembering the pain she had suffered when Max’s powers overloaded, the gift she now shared with Max.

Making her decision she threw off her jacket onto the bed and kicked off her boots, then moved quickly towards the bathroom door as she threw off her white vest top.  _ I want a future with Max. _ She thought as she opened the bathroom door, grateful that Max hadn’t locked it.

Max turned to look at Chloe over her shoulder, concern and grief in her eyes that Chloe intended to get rid of. She unclasped her bra and threw it back through the doorway, undid her jeans and forced them down along with her underwear and stepped under the warm water with Max, turning the girl around to kiss her firmly. 

“Chloe…” Max breathed as their lips parted for a moment. “Don’t tease me… I can’t… do this if we’re going to be fighting…” She said, placing a hand to Chloe’s cheek.

Pressing her body to Max’s she pushed her against the tiled wall, lifting her slightly so Max would wrap her legs around her. “I told you two days ago… I never want to waste a minute with you. I don’t want to say we have all the time in the world and never use it.” Chloe said, holding Max’s hips. “I don’t want to be mad and lose hours with you… when I really want to be with you.”

Max softly placed her thumb to Chloe’s lips, looking into her eyes as she looked into hers. “I want to be with you Chloe, I want our future together.”

“How much did you miss me?” Chloe asked quietly.

“I thought about you everyday.” Max answered, pressing her forehead to Chloe’s.

“Everyday?” She said, touching her nose to Max’s as though about to kiss her.

“Every single one.” Max whispered, her arm around Chloe’s shoulders to hold herself up. 

The water soaked Chloe’s hair and body as she looked into Max’s blue eyes, looking for the fear and doubt she tried to hide. The fear was there, but Max wasn’t lying to her, she was being as honest as she had always been. Rachel’s ability to lie and deceive hadn’t rubbed off on her.

“I would wake up, wishing you were beside me. I would fall asleep, wishing I could hold you.” Max said, the tears starting to run down her cheeks. “And I would agonise over calling you… just to hear your voice, and then rewind it away.” 

“Did you ever do that?” Chloe asked, holding the girl against the the shower wall.

“Not once… I never want to steal your memories.” Max answered sadly. “I love you so much Chloe Price.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.” Chloe smirked, remembering what Max had said to her the previous day in the junkyard. “But… I want you to show me.”

“Show you?” Max said, her eyes going slightly wider, making Chloe grin cheekily.

“Show me how much you missed me.” Chloe whispered, teasing her by brushing their lips together. 

Max seemed to realise just what Chloe was asking as she pressed their lips together firmly, kissing Chloe with an intensity she’d never felt from the smaller girl before. The touch wasn’t laced with timidness but a certainty of what Max wanted. She bit Chloe’s bottom lip and pulled very lightly before engaging her in another passionate kiss, their mouths slightly apart as they teased each other’s tongues. The small girl surprised Chloe when she unwrapped her legs from around Chloe, slipping a little down the wall and firmly turned them so Chloe was pressed into the corner of the shower with Max kissing her neck.

Chloe watched Max’s hand as the girl cupped her breast, teasing her nipple with her thumb as she worked her kisses slowly down Chloe’s chest, taking a moment to kiss and lick her other nipple. Max’s new confidence showed in her efforts to please Chloe as she used her free hand to gently trace her fingers up Chloe’s inner right leg.

“Tease.” Chloe muttered as Max lightly pressed her fingers between Chloe’s legs.

The smaller girl stopped kissing her breast and returned her lips to Chloe’s, kissing her intensely as she slowly, teasingly, slid a finger inside her making Chloe gasp at the touch. Max started slow, gently rubbing with a firm motion. Pulling Max’s head back she stared into her blue eyes, focused on them as Max pleasured her, using the things Chloe had taught her.

Biting her lip she tried to stop the moan from escaping and failed, allowing it to pass her lips which made Max smile.

“Let it out.” Max pleaded, increasing the pressure. “I like to hear it.”

“Earn it…” Chloe gasped, running her hand into Max’s wet hair and gripping it tightly.

It was the greatest feeling in the world, staring into Max’s pretty blue eyes as she was pleasured by the girl she loved more than her own life. She kept her hand on Max’s side, her fingers digging into her skin as the pleasure mounted, her nerves were alive at the touch, her moans gradually grew a little louder until she pulled Max into the most passionate kiss she could manage as her orgasm hit her, causing her to moan against Max’s mouth. Her legs almost giving out, she found herself leaning into the wall to support herself, aware of both of Max’s hands on her hips as a smile crossed her face.

“Bed?” Max asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Yeah…” Chloe nodded. “I don’t think I can stay standing.” She laughed as Max gave her a small wink before stepping out of the shower.

While Max grabbed a couple of towels Chloe remained under the warm water, thinking how she was going to pleasure Max, especially as she hadn’t had the same satisfaction in almost seven months.

Turning off the shower she accepted a towel from Max and wrapped it around herself and stepped out of the shower. Taking a third, smaller towel she started drying Max’s hair, pulling it aside regularly to kiss her. 

Step by step they returned to the other room, drying one another as their emotions ran high. It was a great side of Max that she was enjoying to see, full of laughter and smiles as she got her to lie down on the bed they would be sharing that night. Pulling Max’s towel open she looked at the girl’s pretty body and threw off her own, then parted Max’s legs to lie between them, kissing her girlfriend firmly on the lips before gradually working her mouth down her body. From her neck to her stomach she planted a line of firm kisses where she stopped just above Max’s waist line. She peered up Max’s body, watching her blue eyes as Max observed her actions.

She hooked her arms around Max’s legs and teasingly parted her labia with her fingers. One kiss at a time she began to pleasure Max until she started to use her tongue, causing Max to raise her hips to meet the contact. Closing her eyes she continued to pleasure her girlfriend who gasped and moaned, a hand timidly going to the back of Chloe’s head to hold her between her legs. 

Chloe closed her eyes and listened to the excited moans Max could make, enjoying the fact she could pleasure her in such a way. 

“Oh… Chloe…” Max groaned, her fingernails scratching the back of Chloe’s head as she gripped a little tighter.

Feeling Max tense up and the loud moan she issued was enough to tell Chloe she’d made her orgasm, but she continued, trying to give Max another before the end of the night.

“Oh fuck…” The girl hissed through clenched teeth. “Fuck…” She said again.

Chloe didn’t stop, didn’t let up on the rhythm to give Max as much pleasure as possible. Max arched her hips again to meet Chloe’s tongue and shuddered.

When Max had orgasmed for a second time, Chloe finally relented in pleasuring her girlfriend, using a towel to wipe her mouth before planting a loving kiss on Max’s lips who reciprocated with enthusiasm.

Lying on her back beside Max, the smaller girl rolled onto her side, placing her head on her bare shoulder and snuggled in close. Chloe wrapped an arm around Max, keeping her close and comforted.

“I love you Chloe.” Max whispered, kissing the top of Chloe’s breast.

“I love you too Max.” Chloe said, gently stroking her brown locks.

Beyond the closed curtains she could make out the start of the sun trying to creep into their room and smiled at the thought that they’d been having sex for most of the night, even if it wasn’t quite true.

Max’s breathing gradually changed as she fell asleep, but Chloe wasn’t far behind her, shifting slightly to be closer to Max before she finally fell asleep with her girlfriend in her arms.

* * *

 

It was the second morning where she’d woken up alongside Max and had to remind herself that Rachel was alive, Max had pulled off a miracle. The massive collection of pictures on the wall certainly helped hammer this point home as she rolled over in bed and looked at the mosaic. There was so much more Max and Rachel clearly hadn’t told her yet, parts of their lives that had slipped by because they needed to admit their guilt, the feelings they had for one another. It was difficult to think that the Max beside her had lived for another six months since they’d first made love, while for Chloe it had only been a couple of days.

_ You’ve loved me all that time.  _ She thought, looking at Max’s sleeping face and the way her fringe covered her eyes.  _ Oh my poor Max. _

Rolling into Max she wrapped her in her arms once more and kissed her forehead, making the girl stir slightly. 

“I’ve missed this.” Max murmured, snuggling into Chloe’s body.

For a short time Chloe kept Max cuddled in her arms, refusing to move away from her girlfriend who was clearly enjoying the contact, nuzzling into Chloe’s neck before kissing her collarbone.

Rather than open the wounds of their fight yesterday she bit back her questions and kissed Max’s forehead, giving herself some time to think about the future and what she wanted to do. She knew she wanted to be with Max, to have their future together and make up for their lost time together, but she had no idea what to do about Rachel. It wasn’t easy to forgive Rachel for lying to her for so long, for banging Frank or hooking up with Jeffershit, but they were both before the two of them had slept together. 

“I know that look.” Max whispered, stroking Chloe’s cheek. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Rachel.” She answered honestly, pulling the sheets over both of them and snuggling down into the bed with Max.

“Go on.” Max said, resting her head on her tattooed left hand and her left elbow on the pillow.

“I… don’t know what to do or feel about her.” She admitted quietly, rolling onto her side to look into Max’s eyes easier. “It was easy before… she wasn’t coming back but now…”

“Would you rather… be with her?” Max asked quietly.

“Fuck… no no no.” Chloe quickly said, placing a hand to Max’s face. “Fuck no Max. I’ve never been as happy as I am with you babe, so don’t ask that again, okay?”

Max gave a small nod, turning her head to kiss Chloe’s hand. “Okay. I had to ask because… Rachel told me a lot about the two of you, how it was always something more but neither of you ever… until that day.”

“That’s why I’m so confused.” Chloe said, leaning forward to touch her forehead to Max’s. “I don’t want to kick her out of my life, but I know I can’t have both of you, and I’d always choose you first.”

“Sure you’re not just saying that?” Max said, her eyes focused on Chloe’s.

“Positive.” She smiled at Max, trying to comfort her. 

“If it helps… I don’t want to lose her from my life either.” Max said timidly. “She’s become a huge part of it.”

It was a strange thing to hear from Max, especially knowing how difficult it was for her to make new friends. It had always been just the two of them, they never needed anybody else to be happy. 

“I… don’t know how easy it will be to forgive her.” Chloe said sadly, thinking of all the lies Rachel had told her. “You saw how pissed off I was when we found out about Frank.”

“It’s worth a try though… if it means we can all stay together, right?” Max said, brushing a strand of Chloe’s blue hair behind her ear.

“Yeah… it’s worth a shot.” Chloe nodded. “But if it turns into a fight… it’s going to get loud.” She said, putting her hand on the back of Max’s neck.

“I’ll referee with my time powers.” She smirked, making Chloe laugh.

“Well first… oh timely one…” Chloe said, pulling Max towards her until their lips almost touched. “How about we spend a little more time… reacquainting? I mean… seven months is a long time for you.”

“You are such a tease.” Max laughed. “I thought you wanted to take things slow?” She asked, her hand going to Chloe’s cheek.

“I’m making up for your lost time right now.” Chloe smirked with a small shrug of her shoulders. 

* * *

 

Pacing the small apartment floor, Chloe was nervously awaiting Rachel’s arrival. Max had text her to come home after their intimate make out session, giving them just enough time to get dressed and make themselves a meal. She had no idea why she felt so worried about seeing her best friend, her one time lover, but the emotions she was barely containing below the surface had a lot to do with it. Torn between yelling at her for cheating and lying to her, or pulling her into another hug because she was so happy to see her alive.

It was an internal struggle she couldn’t vocalise to Max, as much as she had tried to explain how she was feeling. She looked at her girlfriend who was sat on the bed, absently fiddling with her two analogue cameras and photographs from their trip back to Arcadia Bay, as though trying to remember the week.

“Max…” She said, wanting to say something but unsure of what to say.

“Stop worrying.” Max said with a smile. “She’s missed you too.”

“I know but… I feel so fucking angry and happy at the same time.” Chloe grumbled, taking her lighter and cigarette packet out of her jacket pocket.

She was just about to take a cigarette from the packet when the front door to the apartment opened and Rachel walked in, without the bags she’d left with the night before. Max quickly climbed off the bed and gave Rachel a big hug, which Chloe noticed made Rachel smile as they touched foreheads. 

“Hey you.” Rachel said to Chloe as Max returned to her place on the bed.

“Hey Rach…” She answered, dropping her things on the dining table. 

Neither of them made any motions to give the other a hug, making Chloe feel both awkward and annoyed. She slumped down into a dining chair instead and watched Rachel sit beside Max, picking up one of the photos and smiling at it.

“We finally have pictures of Chloe.” Rachel said, turning to look at Chloe with a smile on her face.

“With many more to come I hope?” Max said, peering round at Chloe as well who smiled nervously.

“Come on then Price… out with it. I can see you chewing your thoughts.” Rachel sighed sadly, putting the picture back on the pile.

“I’m that obvious?” Chloe asked, flicking her lighter as she tried to think what to say first.

“Please, I practically lived with you for two years. I know when you’re angry, I know when you’re thinking and I know when I fucked up.” Rachel said, turning to sit beside Max against the headboard with her legs crossed.

“Let’s start there… the truth, how you fucked up.” Chloe spat out, feeling the anger burning hotter. “You were sleeping with Frank, and you never told me.”

“Because I knew you’d react like this.” Rachel said sadly. “I knew you’d get upset with me.”

“I… never… all the guys you… not once…” Chloe stuttered, trying to say too much at once.

“All those guys were when I was drunk, or high, and partying with you.” Rachel answered. “I wanted… you. You big dumb fucking idiot.”

“So you slept with Frank because… you were bored? You wanted me? How does that even fucking make sense Rach?!” Chloe shouted, finally raising her voice.

“Look… this is hard enough as it is, I know I fucked up, I really fucked up! But… Frank gave you the loan right? That was because of me!” Rachel argued, almost matching Chloe’s tone.

“So… he paid you to sleep with him? Even better.” Chloe growled, feeling herself getting hotter and working up a fight like the one she’d had with Max when Rachel’s thing with Frank had come to light during the week of the storm.

“No… for fucks sakes Chloe… alright? You want the truth about that.” Rachel said, her eyes glowing like fire as she prepared for her own fight. “I fucked him because I had no fucking idea what you and I were. I fucked him so I could get at his drug stash. I fucked him because it made me feel alive. I fucked him to try to get out of Arcadia fucking Bay. And I worked for him to pay off  _ our  _ debts. For our weed.”

She finally had her answers and they hurt. Looking at Max she noticed the girl was staying quiet, flicking the same photo in her hand.

“You knew?” She asked quietly. Max merely gave a small, swift nod.

“Because I told her, and she told me it was up to me to tell you.” Rachel interjected.

“I’m sorry.” Max whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest.

“You have nothing to apologise for, so don’t.” Rachel said softly, putting an arm around Max. “You always said she deserved to know.”

Some of the fight had left her after hearing Rachel’s confession, especially when she said she’d worked for Frank to pay Chloe’s debts too. She didn’t know what to say, how to articulate how she was feeling. Torn between anger at what Rachel had done and sadness that she’d helped lower somebody she cared about to muling drugs.

“I didn’t know.” Chloe whispered sadly. “You shouldn’t have been paying for my problems.”

“But I did Chloe, because I care about you.” Rachel said, then Max nudged her in the side. “Because I love you.” She added a little quieter.

Rachel’s second confession took her a little off guard, but Max had known, she’d given her the push needed to say it. Chloe ran her hand through her blue hair, trying to work out the emotions she was feeling. She’d hoped talking to Rachel would make things easier, allow her to understand what had happened and finally move on with Max, but it hadn’t helped. She was just as conflicted, wanting to hug Rachel or hit her for betraying her.

“What about kissing Max?” Chloe asked, looking at her girlfriend who seemed to freeze at the mention of it.

“That is where it gets really complicated.” Rachel said sadly. “I… fuck…” She started wringing her hands, looking first at Max then at Chloe. “I like her, okay? She saved me from a really fucked up situation and she did nothing but look after me while I recovered from that shit. She was kind, understanding, always taking things at my pace and she never expected anything of me.” She explained quickly. “You know how everybody expects me to be perfect? How I… told you about the masks?”

“Yeah…” Chloe nodded, understanding just what she meant.

“I didn’t need one with Max, I’ve never needed to put on a front and when I did… that’s when it hurt the most. So… I don’t. I’m just… Chloe I’m finally just me. She’s never expected anything more from me and I love that about her!” Rachel explained, taking hold of Max’s left hand. “I… never intended to hurt you by kissing her, or getting so close with her. It’s why I went out, it’s why I went looking for somebody else!”

“Jen.” Chloe said, looking over her shoulder at the picture of the girl she thought was Jen.

“Yeah… Jen.” Rachel nodded.

More silence followed the explanation as Chloe tried to understand the months they had lived together, the tension in their moments together when their emotions were running high. She knew how it felt to be close to Rachel and unwilling to act, to want something more and trying to control herself because she didn’t know how Rachel would react. 

_ If Rachel had made those moves on me… would things be different?  _ She wondered, watching the way Max was sitting slightly towards Rachel as she showed her another picture from their trip from San Francisco to Arcadia Bay. She didn’t have the answer to her own question, even as she watched the two people who she wanted to meet one another only a few weeks ago.

There was nothing she could do about Rachel’s past with Frank or Jefferson, and she knew she was never going to get over it in a couple of nights, but the thought of losing her again when she’d just returned to her life was painful. She didn’t even know how it would affect Max, who used to find it difficult to get along with people anyway. 

With a sigh she tentatively got out of her chair and crawled onto the bed to sit with the two girls, taking hold of Max’s other hand and planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Let’s… see how this goes, right?” Chloe said, hoping she wasn’t making the wrong choice. “But if you make one move on my girlfriend…” She said, looking at Rachel who held her hands out in mock surrender.

“She’s all yours.” Rachel smirked. “I won’t do anything to get between the two of you.”

Max leaned into Chloe as Rachel climbed off the bed to find some of their other pictures that hadn’t ended up on the wall, as well as one of her sketch pads. Chloe took the time to look through the photos, laughing when Max told her something about a picture, like Jen falling into a fountain right after the shot was taken and pulling Rachel in with her. They even told Chloe all about Kelly, Brooke and Jen and their experiences as a group, including the party on the yacht.

They’d lived their lives while waiting for the timeline to catch up to when Max had left, trying to make the best of their situation because of a promise Max had made to Chloe. In a strange way she felt proud of her girlfriend for getting through those months and keeping to her promise.

They ordered a pizza for dinner and sat around talking and sharing stories. At one point Max climbed into Chloe’s lap to snuggle up together on the bed, her need to be close hadn’t abated even after their steamy night together.

“So…” Rachel said, throwing a crust of pizza into the box. “Tomorrow I’d like you to meet them.”

“Who?” Chloe said, tearing her eyes away from Max’s.

“Jen, Kelly and Brooke. I know you’re not sure… and especially because of Jen but… hear me out!” She said, clearly noticing Chloe’s eye roll and tapping her on the knee “They’ve heard all about you, they know we went to Arcadia to get you and they really want to meet the hella amazing Chloe Price they’ve heard so much about.”

“I’m happy with just the two of you.” Chloe argued, resting her head against Max’s.

“We kind of promised them… and it’s an excuse to put off making plans.” Max added with a small grin. “More time in bed…” She teased, making Chloe smile.

“My one weakness!” Chloe laughed, kissing the side of Max’s head. “Alright… fine…”

“I’ll let them know when I go back later.” Rachel smiled happily.

“You’re not staying with us?” Max asked.

“If we’re staying in San Francisco… we’re going to need a bigger apartment.” Rachel said, looking around at the one room they’d shared for six months. “And unless you use your magic, we don’t have that kind of money.”

“I’ll think of something, when we know what we’re doing.” Max nodded.

Rather than worrying about the future, Chloe tried to make the most of the moment. She had her girlfriend in her arms and her best friend next to her, something she never thought would be possible a few days ago, but when Rachel rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder she felt the emotional tug to put her arm around her and kiss her once more, and she felt guilty for even thinking it with Max on her lap.


	22. Confusion

There was an energy to Max’s motions Chloe had only seen when they were kids, happier, more content and far less shy than when they’d met again in Arcadia Bay. She was more playful, teasing and confident and it made Chloe’s heart soar to see her girlfriend so happy as they got ready to go to the park. There were moments where Chloe was finding it difficult to relate the two different versions of Max she’d seen in just three days, from the girl who hated the use of the word Hero to describe her and was unwilling to use her powers, to the one before her who had her first tattoo on the hand she used to activate them. But then she’d do something and Chloe would see the same girl she’d grown up with and love her even more.

“Come on slowpoke.” Max laughed, tossing her camera bag over her shoulder. “Before they call me demanding to know where we are.”

Chloe smirked and took hold of Max’s hand, but before the small girl could pull her from the apartment she pulled her around into a firm kiss, placing her hand on Max’s neck to enforce it. A moment neither of them wanted to end.

“Max Caulfield…” Chloe breathed as they parted. “You’re fucking awesome.”

“Somebody’s getting mushy on me.” Max teased as she brushed aside a strand of Chloe’s hair. “I like it.” She added with a smile.

“Do we have to go out?” Chloe whispered, pulling playfully at Max’s shirt as she thought of what she really wanted to do with her.

“We did make a promise…” Max said, smirking at Chloe with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

“But… you’ve had sooo long without me…” Chloe teased, wanting to experience a little more of Max’s confidence in bed.

“And we have sooo much time ahead of us.” Max laughed, mimicking her exaggeration.

“What happened to making the most of the moment?” Chloe whined playfully, not letting Max out of her grip.

“We made plans to see friends and you… can make the most of me later.” Her girlfriend retorted, giving her a small peck on the lips.

Reluctantly Chloe released Max from her grip and put on her brown jacket, she snatched her beanie from the table before they left, but Max quickly stole it from her as they left the apartment and put it on instead making Chloe laugh as they walked down the street.

They hadn’t visited the Dolores Park last time they were in San Francisco, but Max knew where she was going and was soon winding them through the crowds in the park towards a dark haired girl lying on a blanket. The girls hair had a small blonde lock at the front and was shaved short on the right side, she knew it was Jen from all of the pictures she had seen of her. Chloe tried to settle her feelings, trying to accept it wasn’t up to her who Rachel slept with, that it wasn’t this girls fault for being available to her.

“You took your time.” The girl said, looking up at Max with a wide smile on her face. “Nice beanie.”

“Got held up.” Max answered, pulling Chloe a little closer to her. “Where are the others?

“They went to get us some lunch.” Jen grinned, her eyes glancing over Chloe. “Gonna introduce me to your gorgeous friend now?”

“Chloe, this is Jen. Jen, this is my girlfriend Chloe.” Max said, making Chloe feel almost bashful about how she had been introduced.

“Nice to meet you.” She said, nodding awkwardly to Jen.

“Absolute pleasure to finally meet the legendary Chloe.” Jen laughed. “Come on, sit your asses down, the others should be back soon.”

Max didn’t need asking twice and quickly sat down beside Jen, pulling Chloe to sit down beside her. Instinctively Chloe put her arm around Max’s shoulders, allowing the smaller girl to lean into her as they looked out on the view before them.

“So how was your trip down?” Jen asked politely, leaning forward to talk around Max.

“Uneventful.” Chloe answered with a shrug, scanning the crowds for Rachel. “Max was all over me the whole time though, so I may have missed anything if it did happen.”

“Well she kept saying how awesome you are, I’m not surprised if she was kissing your face off the whole way here.” Jen laughed.

“Stop it.” Max groaned, turning her head in towards Chloe.

Through the crowds of people she spotted Rachel’s blonde hair and smile, talking to the people beside her as confirmation she wasn’t a hallucination or a dream. Rachel was as real as the people beside her, as alive and full of life as she had always been. Despite her initial reaction to the resurrection of her best friend, it was still on her mind. She’d spent six months looking for her, hoping against hope that Rachel was alive and well, that she hadn’t been left behind. Now she knew, in a way, she had been left behind. Max had swooped in to save the day and taken Rachel with her, leaving Chloe to suffer.

“Hey.” Max whispered, stroking the back of her head. “You okay?”

Looking into Max’s eyes she couldn’t force the lie she wanted to tell and instead subtly shook her head, but before Max could ask her anymore questions Rachel and the two girls had reached them.

“Food is served.” Rachel said, awkwardly sitting down in front of Max with two meal bags in her hands. “I ordered for you both.” She added, passing one of the bags to Chloe.

“Here you go, Max.” The blonde haired girl with pink highlights said, sitting down beside Rachel and passing one of her bags to Max.

“This is Kelly.” Rachel added quickly, opening her bag and taking out a sandwich. “The other gorgeous girl is her girlfriend, Brooke.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Chloe said, offering a small wave to the two girls and trying to forget how she was feeling.

“I fucking love your hair!” Brooke said as she sat down in front of Jen, pushing the girl’s legs out of the way.

“Thank you!” Chloe laughed, brushing a strand of her blue hair out of her eyes.

“We should give Chloe a proper welcome.” Jen said, as she took one of the bags from Brooke. “Party it up, play a game of cards, see how she handles her alcohol.”

“Better than these two I can tell you that.” Chloe said quickly, looking between Max and Rachel.

“Oh I don’t know… Max drank herself stupid and could walk and talk just fine.” Jen said, eyeing Max up and making Chloe feel a little protective of her girlfriend.

“Beginners luck.” Max smirked between bites of her own sandwich.

“Oh fuck off, there’s no such thing as beginners luck with drinking alcohol.” Brooke chuckled, throwing a piece of lettuce at Max.

“What were you drinking?” Chloe asked, looking at Max curiously.

“Beers.” Max shrugged. “Don’t ask me the brand I… can’t remember.”

“But she lasted until the end, when she just dropped.” Jen smirked. “Rach and I had to carry her ass up the stairs to their apartment.”

“I didn’t think you liked the taste of beer.” Chloe whispered to Max who smiled, trying not to laugh with a full mouth.

“After drinking that much… I didn’t really notice the taste.” Max admitted quietly. “I’d prefer our wine tasting sessions.”

Chloe couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her lips at the memories they shared together. It made her feel a little happier about the strangeness of her situation with Rachel, who kept glancing at her every so often.

When everybody had finished their meals Max was asked by Jen to take some pictures of them, as it seemed to have become their custom for trips out together even if it was only to the park. Rachel remained behind on the blanket with Chloe, watching the four other girls taking pictures together for a laugh.

“We… haven’t had a chance to talk alone since… everything.” Rachel said quietly, playing with a blade of grass. “Are we… okay?”

“It’s a lot to take in Rach… I’m still just… processing everything.” Chloe answered, leaning back on her elbows and stretching out her legs. “I mourned you… for two weeks I believed you were dead.”

“I’m sorry Chloe but… Max was so afraid of messing up the timeline.” Rachel rolled the grass into a ball and flicked it away from them. “Not just because of her promise… but because of causing a paradox.”

“No reason to return to the past kind of paradox?” Chloe asked, watching as her friend leaned back to mirror her own pose.

“That’s the one. I wasn’t going to argue with her… how often does the time traveling girlfriend of the person you love come back to save your ass?” Rachel grinned as she looked at Chloe.

“Never.” Chloe laughed, watching Max lose control of her camera to Brooke for a moment so Kelly and Jen could pose with her. “Do they not have enough pictures of this park?” She asked curiously.

“Well… you see…” Rachel sighed. “You’ll hear it eventually… but Jen’s girlfriend died a while ago, so one of the things they do… is live life to the fullest. They try not to waste a moment with each other.”

“Like we should have done.” She said, thinking of the months they’d lost when they could have been dating. The realisation of that fact with Max at the memorial party. “I keep thinking any minute now I’m going to wake up in the junkyard to Max’s worried face.” She felt a sudden pinch on the back of her hand and pulled it away, noticing a grin on Rachel’s face.

“Are you awake?” The girl said, looking at Chloe rubbing the back of her hand.

“I guess so.” She answered, looking at the playfulness in Rachel’s eyes.

“I’m real Chloe… I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“I saw your body though… I saw the pictures and…” She started to argue, the issue still playing around her mind.

“All faked Chloe, all to try to abduct me.” Rachel explained, taking hold of one of Chloe’s hands. “Max explained it, right?”

“Yeah but… it’s still a lot to fucking take in.”

Rachel opened her mouth to continue the conversation when they noticed the four other girls returning, with Max being pulled along by Jen.

“Alright blue… we need pictures of you. It’s your first time here and I won’t take no for an answer.” Jen said as Kelly and Brooke sat down on the blanket. “And Rachel too!” She added.

“Come on…” Rachel said, standing up and offering a hand to Chloe. “It’ll be fun! Like old times.”

Chloe took hold of Rachel’s outstretched hand and was pulled to her feet, colliding awkwardly with the girl after the overzealous pull. They smirked at each other as Jen led them back down the grassy bank for some more pictures.

Watching Max and Rachel interacting with Jen for the pictures was mesmerizing, especially with how happy Max looked to be in her element with two willing models who pulled Chloe into shots, pulling silly faces and trying to just have fun. At one point Max managed to get a single shot of Rachel, showing Chloe the absolute perfection of the picture afterwards. Max had an eye for capturing Rachel at her best. Jen stole the camera from Max towards the end, taking pictures of the three of them. More pictures as proof that Max had done the impossible, she had performed a miracle and saved Rachel’s life.

That night they returned to the apartment with Rachel, who had collected her bag from Jen’s after they’d all had a meal at a small restaurant. She was in high spirits, laughing with Max about one of Jen’s jokes over the meal that Max hadn’t heard because she’d been kissing Chloe again. Their public displays of affection had slowly been increasing throughout the day as Max and Chloe had both found their confidence in public, leading to a number of wolf whistles from Jen when they were spotted sharing an intimate moment, usually when they thought they weren’t being watched.

Max dropped her camera bag on the dining table as soon as she got inside the apartment, then kicked off her shoes and slumped onto the bed, tipping backwards dramatically and making Rachel giggle. Chloe kicked off her boots and sat with Max as Rachel threw her own sneakers across the room to land beside the front door.

“So… we need a plan.” Max said, sitting up and wrapping her arms around Chloe’s waist. “We need to announce to the world that Rachel isn’t dead.”

“Yay me!” Rachel smirked playfully, sitting in one of their dining chairs.

“And we need another place to stay… unless we plan on traveling?” Max continued, kissing Chloe’s cheek.

“I thought you two would have this all planned out?” Chloe said, noticing the indecisiveness in both of the girls.

“We planned nothing past the point of getting you.” Rachel said, putting her feet up on the other dining chair. “We had no idea how you’d react and…”

“It’s your choice too.” Max finished, releasing Chloe and crawling up the bed to rest against the headboard.

“If we stay… it means jobs.” Rachel added stretching her arms in the air before allowing them to fall to her sides.

“If we travel, we can use my Dad’s credit cards, to a point.” Max shrugged.

Chloe took a moment to crawl up the bed to sit beside Max, putting an arm around her shoulders possessively. The petite girl didn’t seem to mind, snuggling into Chloe’s body and resting her head on her shoulder.

“But either way, the world needs to know I’m alive and well, which means we need a really good fucking story.” Rachel said, her eyes glancing between Max and Chloe. “It may also mean another fucking trip to shit Bay, Oregon… and I thought I was done with that place.”

“Why didn’t we do it while we were already in Arcadia and save us another return trip?” Chloe asked, the feelings from earlier returning as she looked at Rachel.

“It would have been a bit weird… Rachel’s Dad telling us it wasn’t Rachel in the graveyard and then her appearing that night with us.” Max explained, taking hold of Chloe’s free hand.

“It’s my idea to give it a week, then I’ll call him.” Rachel explained. “That’s the one part of the plan we do have, but we’ve still got no idea how to explain six months to him.”

“We’d better get started trying to think of something then.” Chloe said, kissing the side of Max’s head as Rachel watched them.

After a few of hours trying to come up with a story to tell James Amber, Max fell asleep in Chloe’s arms, just like she used to do when they watched movies together. Chloe was still full of energy as her mind whirred around the fact Rachel was alive and sat right in front of her. Although she’d tried to suppress the feeling of betrayal, the mental image of the two of them making out kept intruding on her thoughts, thinking about them in the apartment alone together, even going a little further to torment her that Max wasn’t as loyal as she thought.

“Chloe… you didn’t hear a word I said, did you?” Rachel said as she sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

“What?” Chloe asked, blinking and focusing on the blonde haired girl.

“What’s on your mind?” Rachel asked, taking hold of one of Chloe’s hands. “Therapy time, if you want it.”

“You and Max.” She said quietly, looking at the girl who had her head on her lap. “And the fact you’re… fucking alive.” She added. “And…” She closed her eyes and felt the trickle of a tear running down her cheek.

“And what?” Rachel said gently, wiping the tears away.

“I never thought I’d see you again. I moved on… I gave up on you and you’re alive.” She answered, trying to ignore the emotions she was feeling.

“Would… it have changed how you feel about Max?” Rachel asked curiously, to which Chloe quickly shook her head.

“You heard me for two years… how much I missed her, how much she means to me.” Chloe quickly said, running a hand through Max’s hair. “I just don’t want to hurt her, because of never getting over you completely.”

Rachel sat a little closer and put her arms around Chloe, giving her the comforting hug she needed right then. Holding her as the shock of the last few days flooded her body and made her cry into Rachel’s shirt. Relief and guilt mingled together into one, that Rachel was alive but that she still felt the same way as six months ago, despite all of the horrible truths she had discovered about her and the fact Chloe had her girlfriend in her arms.

“Chloe… I… want a future with the two of you.” Rachel whispered nervously. “But I need to know… do you hate me for what I’ve done? Can we ever have something after I fucked everything up so badly?”

Pulling away from Rachel’s hug, Chloe looked into her hazel eyes, wondering what she meant by a future with the both of them, wondering how she could have anything with Rachel if she was with Max. It was too much to take in at once, from Rachel being alive, to still having feelings for each other, being with Max, the two of them making out. She didn’t know how to answer it, whether she wanted to answer it and break Max’s heart.

“I can’t do that to Max.” She answered, looking down at Max’s pretty face. “I can’t hurt her, I can’t leave her.”

“Okay.” Rachel said, releasing Chloe’s hand.

When Chloe looked back at the girl she had desired for so long, to see alive again, she was surprised to see a frown on her face, as though she was deep in thought. Reaching out to take hold of Rachel’s hand again, the blonde withdrew and stood up.

“Rach…” She pleaded, not wanting to see her hurting like this.

“It’s fine… I get it.” Rachel muttered, taking her phone from her pocket. “Just… gonna text Jen and see if I can stay over again, give you two some more couple time.”

“I haven’t seen you properly over the last two days.” Chloe argued quietly. “It feels weird enough knowing you’re alive but I’m hardly getting to see you and… get used to it.”

“Well it feels weird for me too.” Rachel hissed back, tossing her phone onto the foot of the bed while she waited for a reply. “I spent seven months waiting to see you again, hoping things wouldn’t be different despite my fuck ups and they are different.”

With great care Chloe gently moved Max’s head onto a pillow so she could get up to confront Rachel better, determined to have her say after everything she’d found out.

“What did you expect Rach? I thought you were dead, I was grieving for you when out of the blue, there you are, with my girlfriend who you’ve been making out with and trying to fuck.”

“I can’t help how I feel for Max, or how I feel about you.” Rachel whispered angrily, clearly trying not to wake the sleeping girl on the bed. “I left her trying not to allow that shit happen, trying not to ruin what you have with her.”

“And you ditched me to fuck around with Frank and Jeffershit.” Chloe retorted, crossing her arms. “After everything we went through together, all the happy fucking memories and you would have ditched me in Arcadia Bay.”

“Think about that night Chloe, about that fucking day. I didn’t fucking leave you, I wanted you, we made plans together. I finally stopped fucking running and somebody else tried to take me away.” Rachel said, her eyes filling with tears. “I finally worked out what I wanted and I tried to fucking take it. I tried to make our dreams reality and that fucking monster… that…”

Chloe noticed just how far she’d pushed her, how vicious she’d been with her argument and tried to reach out to Rachel, who quickly pulled away from the touch.

“Rach… there was so much I didn’t get to say.” Chloe whispered sadly. “So much rage I wanted to take out on you when Max found the pictures of you with Frank… and I took it out on her.”

The phone vibrated on the bed, stopping her trail of thought as the blonde girl picked it up. “Spend some time with your girlfriend, Chloe.” Rachel said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “She’s really missed you.”

Chloe chewed over the words she wanted to say as Rachel picked up her bag that she hadn’t managed to unpack. She wanted to tell her to stop, to stay with her and Max but she couldn’t get the words to come out. Every second that ticked by she started to regret until she finally reached out for Rachel’s hand and stopped her leaving, pulling her into a hug.

“Don’t leave.” She pleaded, tears running down her face. “Please don’t go.”

“And why should I stay?” Rachel asked, tears in her own eyes. “I don’t know what I am to you two now, I don’t have a place.”

“You’re still my best friend Rach, you’re still important to me.” Chloe argued, trying to wipe her own tears on the back of her hand without releasing Rachel from her arms.

They held each other for a short time, Rachel’s arm wrapped around Chloe’s waist, her head resting on Chloe’s shoulder.

Then Rachel seemed to relent, relaxing into Chloe’s arms without another word. “You’re both important to me, Chloe.” She said, sounding a little defeated. “And I’d rather have you both in my life than not at all.”

* * *

 

Max rolled over into a warm body and snuggled in closely, peeking through her sleepy eyes to make sure it was still Chloe she was in bed with. A feeling of pure joy shot through her body when she saw the blue and pink hair and smiled happily that they were finally back together. She placed an arm over Chloe’s stomach and pulled herself closer, needing the touch with the girl she had missed so much.

She felt bad for Rachel who had been relegated to the sleeping bag, especially after the months they’d spent in the double bed after Max had finally stopped worrying about it. Teasingly she started to slide her fingers up Chloe’s side under her shirt, hoping to wake her up for a kiss when Rachel’s phone started ringing. With a sigh Max stopped her exploration of Chloe’s body, but noticed the blue eyes looking at her, matching the warmth of a smile on Chloe’s lips.

“Hi to you too.” Chloe said, poking Max on the nose playfully.

“I tried.” Max sighed, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder as Rachel answered the phone.

“What want?” Rachel said groggily.

“Probably Jen.” Max said, answering Chloe’s quizzical look. “We sometimes go over for breakfast, or she comes here if Kelly and Brooke are working.”

Chloe smiled and gently pulled Max up for a small morning kiss, something Max was hoping would become a habit.

“How would you two like breakfast at Jen’s?” Rachel said, peeking over the edge of the bed. “She says she’s cooking.”

Max looked at Chloe, wondering if she was up for joining into their strange routines so soon. She knew how strange it had been when she had first agreed to go to that first party that had introduced her to that group of friends Rachel had made, how awkward she had felt but how welcoming they had been.

“Alright, let’s do it.” Chloe said before kissing Max’s nose playfully.

“Chloe says we’re in.” Rachel said with a smirk. “Yeah… see you soon.” She finished, hanging up the call.

“I guess this means I have to get out of bed.” Chloe mumbled as Rachel stood up and stretched, her vest top riding up to show off her midriff.

“Dibs on the bathroom.” Rachel said with a grin.

“We don’t do dibs! It’s first come!” Max argued, trying to escape Chloe’s grasp to stop Rachel getting there first.

Chloe tightened her grip as Rachel darted across the room laughing, stopping only to blow Max a kiss before she closed the door to the bathroom behind her.

“Cheats.” Max mumbled, slumping back into Chloe’s arms.

“You’ll just have to join me, we’ll save time that way.” Chloe grinned, taking hold of Max’s left hand and gently tracing the spiral tattoo.

“Or we’d take more time.” Max said, watching Chloe’s finger on her hand and remembering the way Rachel would do the same thing.

“You could just rewind it away.” Chloe teased, tracing the spiral tattoo backwards towards the centre. “Give us some more time…”

Max’s eyes widened as she remembered Chloe was tied into her powers after the overload, it tempted her to use them until she recalled Maxine’s warning, about seeing her again.

 _What’s the point of my powers if I don’t use them though?_ She thought while watching and feeling Chloe’s gentle touch on the palm of her hand. It was a thought that stayed with her as they got ready for the day ahead.

They decided to walk to Jen’s, especially as it had become second nature to Max and Rachel who hadn’t had access to a vehicle for so long. It also gave them more time talk and debate what they were going to say to Mr Amber. Max found herself between the two girls, holding onto Chloe’s hand almost possessively now that she was back with them. Though after a short distance she noticed Rachel’s fingers touching her own until they also held hands and laced their fingers together, something Chloe either didn’t appear to notice or didn’t really mind.

When they finally arrived at Jen’s they were welcomed in by the dark haired girl, who quickly returned to the kitchen. There was no sign of Kelly or Brooke, but it wasn’t uncommon for Jen to invite them over when they weren’t in. They kicked off their shoes and removed their jackets before making themselves comfortable on the couch, with Max between the two girls she cared for.

“I hope you’re good at poker.” Max whispered to Chloe, leaning into her.

“Why’s that?” Chloe asked, putting her arm around Max just like she wanted.

“Because Jen likes to play poker, and Max is the favourite chip she likes to play.” Rachel laughed, turning into her side of the couch and leaning against the arm with her legs tucked beneath her.

“Nothing ever happens.” Max quickly said, noticing a not so happy look on Chloe’s face.

“It was just a joke, Max lost all her caps and was helping Jen with her cards…” Rachel started to explain.

“And Rachel decides to complain that Max should be helping her, not me.” Jen said, handing a plate to Rachel that had a toasted bagel on it. “So I said we’d play for her on the next hand.” She continued, handing the second plate to Chloe.

“Which we increased to the person to win three hands.” Rachel said as Jen went back into the kitchen.

“Except they drew…” Max smirked, accepting a bite from Chloe’s bacon and egg bagel.

“Which meant we had to share her… which sucked.” Jen finished, handing Max a plate before sitting in one of the chairs with her own meal.

“So please… tell me you’re good at poker.” Max pleaded, looking at Chloe who smirked happily.

“I’ll whip their butts and keep you for myself.” Chloe said with a smile.

“‘at ‘ounds li’e a be’ ‘o me!” Jen grumbled with a mouthful of food.

“I agree… that sounds like a bet Price… willing to back it up?” Rachel smirked playfully.

Chloe nodded enthusiastically as she swallowed some food. “Name a time and place!”

“Fuck she’s keen.” Jen chuckled, taking her phone out of her pocket without dropping her plate on the floor. “I’m not working tomorrow… so… tonight! You can’t back out!”

“Will there be alcohol?” Rachel asked, turning to look at Jen.

“Too fucking right there will. Kelly and Brooke will probably join us when they get back from work too.” Jen smiled happily. “I like a good party.”

“We are very aware.” Max grinned, remembering one of the last ones they had attended before going back to Arcadia Bay.

She had tried not to get as drunk that time, partly because she wanted to take pictures. Unfortunately, she didn’t get any and ended up waking up next to Rachel in Jen’s bed once more.

When they finished their breakfast Rachel collected up the plates and took them into the kitchen, returning with glasses of soda and orange juice. Chloe had started to relax a bit more, once again tracing the tattoo on Max’s hand just as she would trace the one on her arm when given the chance.

“I’m glad you got that done.” Jen said, making Max look in her direction. “Rachel has good taste.”

“You picked it?” Chloe said, looking past Max at Rachel who nodded meekly.

“I couldn’t settle on anything else, and it just… seemed to fit.” Max said, running her own finger over the tattoo and feeling the ever so feint lumps of the scars beneath the black lines.

“Well you’ll need another one eventually, especially if you’re going to match the awesome tattoos on Rach and Chloe.”

“Oh so now you’ve been checking out Chloe’s tat?” Rachel asked, feigning shock.

“Please! If I wanted to check out her tat I’d be sitting on Max’s lap and gawping at it.” Jen laughed. “Actually… now that you mention it…” She said, standing up and sitting on Max playfully to look at Chloe’s tattoo up close.

Max couldn’t stop herself from laughing as Jen playfully wiggled her ass into her lap trying to get comfortable, all while she was staring at Chloe’s tattoo.

“Blue butterflies…” Jen said, admiring the blue on Chloe’s shoulder. “You have awesome taste.”

“Thanks.” Chloe said, smiling as Jen climbed off Max’s lap.

“Alright… now that you’re done trying to kill me…” Max said with a small laugh. “What are we doing before the party tonight?”


	23. Playing with Fire

The day flew by far too quickly for Rachel’s liking. She wanted it to last as long as possible so she wouldn’t have to return to the apartment with Chloe and Max in the morning and watch their loved up antics. She had known all along that things could change when they returned to Arcadia to get Chloe, but she had no idea how much she’d miss waking up with Max or the small touches of affection they would show each other. When Kelly and Brooke had both returned from work, Rachel was almost glad for the extra company to talk to while Max and Chloe were cuddled up talking to Jen.

Before the beer was opened they ordered pizzas to make sure everybody had eaten, although somebody ordered a hawaiian pizza, causing the debate to start of whether pineapple belongs on a pizza. Rachel decided not to get involved, instead listening to the back and forth banter of the other girls until Jen tapped her leg and indicated they should go into the kitchen for the beers.

“You look down.” Jen said, opening the fridge and taking out six bottles, replacing them with another six out of a crate of beers. “And I don’t like it when you look down.”

“Things are… still weird with Chloe.” She admitted, taking one of the bottles after Jen had opened it.

“Just tell her how you both feel.” Jen said, continuing to open the bottles for the others.

“That could ruin their relationship.” Rachel replied, shaking her head. “I can’t do that to Max.”

“The longer you spend twisting yourself in knots the more used to the current normal you’ll get, and then you’re fucked.” Jen offered wisely, tapping her own bottle to Rachel’s.

“So what do you suggest? I get down on my knees and profess my undying love to both her and Max and beg them to take me into their relationship?” Rachel laughed, shaking her head.

“Or… just be you.” Jen said, brushing Rachel’s hair from her eyes behind her left ear. “Like you’re really good at.”

“Chloe deserves better than my shit Jen…” She argued, appreciating the small gesture.

“Then… I suggest you keep drinking, have a good fucking time, and stop worrying. If you end up in my bed tonight, I won’t complain.” Jen grinned. “Come on, people want their alcohol.”

They grabbed an extra two bottles each to take through to their friends who were laughing at a story Brooke was telling from work. Rachel passed her two extra beer bottles to Chloe and Max, who thanked her, before she sat back down beside Max who shifted slightly to allow her to lean a little closer.

“Where are the cards?” Jen said, sitting back down in her chair after giving Brooke and Kelly their bottles.

“Where you left them.” Kelly answered with a shrug.

“In my room then.” Jen sighed, putting her bottle on the floor beside her. “Back in a minute.” She said, getting back out of her chair and going up the stairs behind the couch.

“So have you guys decided what you’re going to do? Are you staying here or going travelling like you hoped?” Brooke asked, sitting on the floor in front of Kelly’s chair and leaning against it.

“We’re still not sure.” Max answered, looking at Rachel.

“Well if it were up to me… I hope you stay.” Kelly said kindly. “It’s been great having friends close by who we can send Jen off to.” She sniggered.

“See? I always told you they wanted rid of me.” Jen said, coming back down the stairs with her box of bottle caps and a deck of cards. “Could I go with you three if you do go travelling? Maybe they’ll miss me that way.”

“I don’t know… what can you offer us that we lack?” Rachel teased, noticing Chloe’s hand in the back of her hair as she leaned a little closer to Max.

Jen sat down in her chair, sitting straight and proper. “Well… I can cook. Badly.” She said sounding official. “I’m also willing to model, nude if the photographer wishes.” She winked at Max as the room burst into giggles. “I’m also very loyal, and I return with the ball after it’s thrown.”

“Hmm… we’ll take your application into consideration.” Rachel said, playing along with the officialness of the interview. “Though we will need some time to confer.”

“Oh indeed.” Max added, trying to play along but unable to contain her laughter.

“Alright kids, enough clowning around. Let’s play some cards. I have Max’s honour to reclaim.” Chloe said, taking a swig from her bottle. “Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Unlike the first time they’d played for Max, they weren’t going to have a repeat of the draw, instead deciding she would go to whoever won the game. Rachel was actually surprised when Max agreed to the terms, even throwing in a free photoshoot to the victor. Unfortunately Max’s ability to bluff hadn’t improved and she was soon sitting back with her bottle in hand and no bottle caps to her name. Trying to be fair to Jen and Chloe, Max instead leaned into Rachel to watch her cards. Together they won a few hands, even managing to knock Brooke out of the game

Rachel shifted on the couch to lean against the arm, giving Max a little more space to get closer to her. They literally whispered into each others ear to avoid the other players from hearing them. When she glanced at Chloe she noticed she wasn’t paying any attention to how close they were, concentrating on her cards and her beer quite happily.

“I’ll get the refills, seeing as Max is more comfortable cuddling Rach.” Brooke said, collecting up the empty bottles and disappearing into the kitchen.

“I think we’ve already lost.” Jen said with a grin.

“Would you rather I put you off your game?” Max said to Chloe, who shook her head.

“I want to win.” Chloe smirked. “Just like I always won when we were kids.”

“That’s a lie!” Max laughed.

“Early onset of alzheimer's Max, such a sad thing to see.” Chloe teased. “The loss of such a young and beautiful mind.”

More alcohol was consumed as the girls battled it out, hand after hand. Kelly was forced out of the game not long later, leaving it between Rachel, Chloe and Jen. None of them seemed to be willing to give up.

“I want that photoshoot… might get me a modelling career.” Jen quipped, winking at Rachel playfully.

“It’s mine Jen… don’t you start.” Rachel retorted as they both increased their stakes.

“Should put your money where you mouth is…” Jen sniggered, increasing the wager again.

“Fuck… I don’t have enough to call without going all in.” Rachel muttered, looking at her caps.

She thought about her options for a moment, not wanting to lose the hand but not wanting to be completely out of the game either. As much as it would annoy Chloe, she wanted to steal Max for the night even if it was just as a joke. She was missing her time with her.

“I’ll make you a deal.” Jen said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll allow you to call on one condition…”

“Name it.” Rachel said, wondering what Jen had in mind. She was a mischief maker.

“If you lose that hand… I’d like to see Max’s reaction to you sharing a kiss with blue.” Jen smirked.

“What?” Chloe said, almost spluttering her beer.

“Bit of fun, keeps her in the game.” The dark hair girl shrugged. “But I can understand if you want Rach out of the game.”

“Max? It’s up to you.” Chloe frowned, seemingly torn between the idea.

“It’s okay Chloe, I don’t have to agree.” Rachel said, taking a quick swig from her beer as she looked at her cards.

“I’ll allow it.” Max said, sitting up to look at Chloe. “I’m confident about our relationship.” She added, taking hold of one of Chloe’s hands.

“Seriously?” Chloe asked, looking stunned at Max’s acceptance.

“Kelly, Brooke, accept the wager?” Jen said with a smirk on her face.

“Done, the wager is allowed.” Kelly chuckled as Brooke shook her head.

“You’re a perv Jen.” Brooke added.

“Oh come on, hot girl kissing hot girl, that is definitely worth the wager to me.” Jen said, sitting back in her chair. “It’s up to Rachel if she wants to play it though.

Max leaned back against Rachel, giving her a chance to quickly whisper in her ear. “You sure?”

The petite girl didn’t answer, annoying Rachel slightly that she didn’t know what she was thinking or getting up to. Chloe looked a little uncomfortable, making Rachel feel worse that she felt like she actually wanted to lose if she played that wager, just so she had an excuse to kiss Chloe.

“I’ll take the wager. If I lose this hand I’ll kiss Chloe.” Rachel said with a small smile.

“Show us your cards!” Jen said, turning her own over.

Rachel showed her own cards, knowing she had a satisfied look on her face. She’d managed to beat Jen’s hand, winning her a sizable portion of the total caps they played with. When she looked at Chloe she noticed a hint of regret on her face that was quickly smothered with a confident wink.

“Well played.” Chloe offered as Max and Rachel both raked in the caps.

“Thank you.” Rachel said, quickly taking a swig of her beer as Max stacked the caps.

“Let’s take a small break… I need to visit the little girls room.” Jen said, passing the cards to Kelly to shuffle as she walked past them all to go upstairs.

Rather than moving away from Rachel, Max reached out an arm to Chloe who leaned into her, applying a kiss to Max’s lips far closer to Rachel than she liked, especially as she’d come so close to losing the hand and a bet.

“I think I’m getting a little drunk.” Max whispered so only the two of them could hear her.

“A little drunk?” Chloe said with a small laugh, brushing hair out of Max’s face.

“You’re almost daring us to kiss.” Rachel added, shifting in her seat to get a little comfier. She glanced over at Kelly and Brooke who were engaged in a sweet kiss, making her smile at the intimacy they weren’t afraid to show in front of their friends.

“That was Jen’s idea, not mine.” Max argued, resting back into Rachel. “I accepted it as a wager to keep you in the game, plus… I knew your hand.” She grinned, tilting her head back to look at Rachel.

“Oh so you want Rachel to win?” Chloe said, making Rachel look at the expression on her face out of concern she’d taken it the wrong way.

Chloe was smirking playfully, not at all like she was upset or insulted by the idea Max had tried to help Rachel win.

“Or maybe I want to see what I’m worth to you all?” Max sniggered, pulling Chloe into another kiss. “You are playing for me after all.”

“She has us there.” Rachel said, taking another drink of her beer and resting the bottle on her stomach.

Chloe sighed and gently touched her nose to Max’s, but didn’t kiss her again. “I am going to win.” She whispered, just loud enough for Rachel to hear.

* * *

 

When Jen returned from her bathroom break Chloe sat back against the arm of the couch opposite Rachel, keeping a close eye on her girlfriend and best friend. She wasn’t sure how she felt seeing the two of them so close together and she definitely didn’t want to admit she wanted Rachel to lose that hand, but there was a level of contentment she hadn’t felt before.

“Alright then… let’s finish this up. I want that shoot.” Jen said, clapping her hands together and rubbing them together.

With nothing else to do Kelly started dealing out the cards.

It took a few hands but eventually Chloe and Jen managed to clear Rachel out of the game, causing the blonde girl to sigh in exasperation.

“What’s the consolation prize?” Rachel asked, accepting another fresh beer from Brooke.

“Give her a big kiss Max, it’ll be the last thing she gets from you.” Jen teased, sipping on her own beer.

Max looked at Chloe, a hint of worry in her blue eyes. Chloe didn’t know what came over her, maybe it was the beer or the excitement of the night, but she nodded her head with a shrug and a smirk.

Rachel slowly sat up, staring at Chloe with a look of disbelief. There was a collective holding of breath from the other girls in the room, both Kelly and Brooke were watching to see what would happen while Jen sat motionless with the bottle pressed to her bottom lip.

A feeling of unease had slipped into her stomach as she watched Max turn towards the blonde girl, who also turned slightly to face Max. They both looked uncertain, stopping a hair’s breadth from their lips touching as Chloe looked on. All it took was a touch, Rachel’s fingers grazing Max’s cheek and they finally kissed in front of Chloe. It didn’t last long, but the emotions behind the touch were evident even to Chloe, who felt a pang of guilt for giving the go ahead when the two girls were already struggling with their feelings.

Max sat back, trying to hide a timid smile behind her beer bottle, while Rachel pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her own bottle on her knee, almost hiding from Chloe behind it.

Jen seemed to notice their reactions, a smirk on her mischievous face. “I think we should up the stakes.” She said, winking at Chloe.

“Oh? Max isn’t enough?” Chloe asked, checking the amount of caps she had.

“After that display… let’s play for Rachel too.” Jen winked, pulling her right knee up to her chest.

“Rach isn’t on the table.” Max said quickly, shaking her head.

“I kind of like where this is going.” Kelly laughed, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Brooke’s neck.

“You said you’re going to win blue, there’s no consolation prize for us. Rachel and Max, winner takes all.” Jen said, taking another sip from her drink. “And… the winner gets my room. Because it actually has a bed.” She laughed playfully.

“Let me take a smoke break first?” Chloe asked, feeling like she needed time to think, especially after that kiss.

“Sure! You can smoke out back.” Jen said pointing towards the kitchen.

“Thanks.” Chloe said, climbing off the couch and grabbing her cigarettes and lighter from her jacket.

She walked through the kitchen and out the back door into a very small garden, her hands shaking slightly as she took the cigarette from the pack and placed it to her lips. The lighter was taken from her hand as an arm wrapped around her waist, while she felt lips brush against her shoulder.

“What’s up?” Max said, igniting the flame and holding it to the end of the cigarette.

“Nothing…” Chloe lied, blowing smoke away from her girlfriend. But Max stared at her like she could see through it. “Is it bad… I wasn’t jealous?” She asked quietly.

“You weren’t jealous?” Max asked in return, pocketing the lighter and stepping in front of Chloe, her hands on Chloe’s hips as she stared into her eyes.

“I don’t know if it’s the drink, or the laughs or…” She lowered her voice slightly. “If I’m just really turned on and want to take you to bed.”

Max cracked a smile at Chloe’s confession. “I wouldn’t say no to that…” She whispered teasingly. “I… might be a little turned on myself.”

“Because of me? Or Rach? Or the drink?” Chloe asked quietly, placing her free hand on Max’s side as she held the cigarette away from Max’s face.

“All of the above?” Max answered, a little apprehension in her voice. “But you wanted her to lose that hand, didn’t you?”

“Which one?” Chloe asked, knowing exactly which one Max meant.

“You know which one, dork.” Max grinned, gently caressing Chloe’s cheek. “You wanted that excuse to kiss her.”

“I’m a fucking terrible girlfriend for that.” Chloe murmured, taking a drag from her cigarette and blowing the smoke away from Max. “I should be happy with you, not pining after Rachel hoping she’ll kiss me.”

“You are not a terrible girlfriend. You’re better than me...” Max placed her hands on either side of Chloe’s face, her blue eyes staring into Chloe’s. “I’ve just kissed our best friend… again… and I could have said no, I should have said no.”

“I told you to.” Chloe said, dropping the cigarette butt on the floor and stamping it out.

“Why?” Max asked, moving her hands to Chloe’s neck.

“I… don’t know.” She answered honestly, holding Max’s hips as she gazed into her eyes.

Max let a grin creep into her features and slowly rose onto her tiptoes to kiss Chloe despite her just having had a cigarette. She felt herself relaxing into the touch, the weight of her fears falling away as her girlfriend showed her the intimacy she craved.

“Take the bet…” Max whispered as they parted, gently flicking Chloe’s nose with her own. “Play for Rach… show her what she means to us… okay?”

“There’s that confident Max again… I’m finding it hard to get used to.” Chloe smirked, pressing her forehead to Max’s as they enjoyed their moment. “Are you going to kiss her again?” She asked, uncertain where the question had come from.

“No.” Max answered softly. “Not unless you dare me to, again. But if you win us tonight… well…” There was a mischievous twinkle behind Max’s blue eyes, something new that had been buried deep that was allowed to come out thanks to the alcohol and her confidence. “When you win… I’ll show you how much you mean to me again.”

After another loving kiss they returned to the party where Brooke was telling a story from work that had Rachel laughing and Jen cracking up. Chloe picked up a new bottle that had been set aside for her and dropped into her corner seat, pulling her knees up to her chest as she thought about what Max had said. Her girlfriend sat down beside her and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

“For luck.” Max winked.

“Hey I’m not playing against two of you, split up!” Jen smirked, as Kelly shuffled the cards.

Rachel’s arms slipped around Max’s waist and pulled her away from Chloe with a playful twinkle in both of their eyes. Her girlfriend happily cuddled into Rachel as she was given another bottle of beer by Brooke. Chloe found it difficult to take her eyes off the two girls she cared about, especially the way Rachel had her chin on Max’s shoulder and would whisper into her ear and make her laugh.

Hand after hand the caps went back and forth between them until Chloe believed she had a hand she could definitely win with. Carefully she worked the bet upwards, bluffing as she’d seen Rachel do in the past. Finally she went all in, and Jen followed suit. This hand would end the game one way or another, Max and Rachel had both sat forward to see who would win, joke or not.

Jen’s cards were flipped first, Max and Rachel both glanced at each other, but Chloe smirked. She dropped her cards to show their faces and was met with cheers of joy from Max and Rachel, who both jumped on her, wrapping their arms around her neck. Max’s lips found her own, then as they parted Rachel planted a kiss of her own on Chloe. Shocked as she was, she still returned the affection Rachel had shown her.

“Well played blue, really well played.” Jen said, tipping her glass in Chloe’s direction. “Best game since Rachel and I drew.”

“Well done babe.” Max whispered, kissing her ear and cheek.

“Really well done Chloe. Jen is… fucking tough to beat.” Rachel said, still sitting close to them.

“My bedroom is the guest room tonight.” Jen laughed as Kelly gave Chloe a hug as well.

“This couch is comfy though.” Rachel grinned, returning to her corner and taking Max with her.

“You’d know, you’ve slept on it enough.” Brooke added as she cleared away some of the bottles.

“I thought you’d be sleeping with Jen?” Chloe heard Max say a little quieter.

“Not since… that night.” Rachel replied, a knowing look passing between the two of them. A smile passed over Max’s lips before she placed the bottle to her mouth and took a swig.

“Alright girls! The night isn’t over yet!” Jen said with a grin. “Let’s play another game.”

* * *

 

After her triumphant win Chloe spent the rest of the night enjoying the company of the five girls, but especially Max and Rachel who had rearranged how they were sitting so Max could cuddle into Chloe while Rachel could remain close. Jen found another game for them to play and put on some music, jigging a little to the beat as she drank her beer. Eventually Kelly and Brooke called it a night when Kelly started to become more amorous with her girlfriend.

The night wore on until Max had started giggling at the slightest thing and Rachel would join in, laughing more at Max than whatever had been said. Chloe found their laughter infectious and would soon join in until Jen creased up at the stupidity of it.

When Max started showing more interest in Chloe’s neck than the conversation they knew it was time to get the petite girl upstairs and into bed, thanks to Jen betting her bedroom for the night. Rachel and Chloe both helped the girl up the stairs, just in case her balance had finally gone, but even Chloe was feeling the effects of the alcohol, despite drinking less due to trying to keep her wits for the poker game.

They opened the door to Jen’s room and passed inside, using the light from downstairs to find their way around the room. Chloe had never been in Jen’s room and was avoiding the temptation to flick on a light and start snooping as she would have done so many years ago. She released Max and watched Rachel help her over to the bed where the two of them fell onto it in fits of giggles.

Max was lying underneath Rachel, their foreheads pressed together as they laughed at the situation. Chloe kicked the door closed, eliminating the light in the room and quickly walked over to playfully push Rachel off her girlfriend. Rachel laughed a little louder and Chloe felt Max’s arms wrap around her waist and pull her onto the bed with them.

“I love this feeling!” Max said as Chloe felt Rachel roll back towards them, the blonde girls breath against her neck.

“You’re both really drunk.” Chloe said, helping Max slide up the bed until her head was on a pillow.

“Mhm…” Max murmured, caressing Chloe’s cheek.

She felt the bed move as Rachel shifted up the bed and lay down beside them, her hand on Chloe’s lower back. It was a strange situation, to have both Max and Rachel in the same bed with her. Her fears raced through her mind, afraid of hurting Max, of doing the wrong thing and ruining everything they had.

“I feel like I could do anything…” Max whispered leaning up to kiss Chloe gently. “Rewind us into the past together, all three of us and just… forget about the world.”

Chloe felt the bed move as Rachel lay beside them, the touch of her fingertips on Chloe’s side where her vest top had rode up when moving Max.

“All three of us huh?” Rachel said quietly, then Chloe realised just how close her head was to Max’s, how close all three of them were together and how normal it felt.

“Just the three of us.” Max answered.

Chloe’s eyes had started to adapt to the darkness, able to pick out the outline of Max’s head. She could see the way Max had turned towards Rachel, could feel the tension between them as her presence held them both at bay despite their drunken haze.

She lowered her face towards Max and engaged her girlfriend in a loving kiss, who reciprocated the affection. As they parted Max turned Chloe’s head towards Rachel, guiding her towards the blonde. It was almost like a command, yet while her head was screaming at her not to do it, she was too drunk and it was wrong, her heart leapt at the idea that she had Max’s permission.

Rachel seemed to understand the intent but waited for Chloe to make the first move, as soon as their lips brushed Chloe felt the rush of emotions she still felt for her best friend, the years of waiting for that one moment where they had finally been together. Rachel bit her bottom lip as they slowly parted, wanting it to continue a little longer, but Chloe’s fear was taking control, the fear of upsetting Max.

It soon vanished when Max turned to Rachel and pressed her lips to Rachel’s, something the two of them had clearly wanted to do since the first one they had been taunted into doing. Chloe rolled off Max onto the edge of the bed, lying on her side with her arm across her girlfriend’s waist as the sound of Rachel’s and Max’s kiss continued, their pent up emotions finally given freedom to take control due to Chloe’s kiss with Rachel.

She felt Rachel’s hand on her own and their fingers laced together on Max’s stomach, a single touch that calmed her nerves, relaxed her into the moment she was sharing with the two girls.

* * *

 

When Max woke up in the morning she wasn’t surprised to find herself between the two girls, their arms across her stomach with their hands on each other’s hips. She didn’t know how to feel, but was almost glad it hadn’t gone much further than the kisses they had shared with each other. She wondered who had fallen asleep first, or if they’d just accepted it wouldn’t go any further and settled down for the night, it was the only piece of the night she couldn’t remember.

With some difficulty she slipped out from between the two girls and climbed off the bed, snatching up Rachel’s discarded plaid shirt to put over her vest top. She crept past Kelly and Brooke’s room to the bathroom and was about to close the door when Rachel quickly slipped inside. It was illicit, they knew it was wrong, but Rachel pressed Max against the door to close it and kissed her firmly on the lips.

“You know we shouldn’t.” Max whispered as they parted, looking into Rachel’s hazel eyes as she placed her hands on the girls hips.

“I know… but after last night…” Rachel replied, caressing Max’s cheek. “You could have kept her to yourself and…”

“I know how you feel about her.” Max said, cutting her off. “I want you to be happy too, and I want Chloe to be happy and I’d… step aside if…”

“No Max, because we want you to be happy.” Rachel kissed Max again softly, just enough pressure to make her nerves tingle and her emotions explode into life so that she wanted more.

“She might never come around to that idea.” She answered, a small hint of fear in her voice as she thought of Chloe’s reaction. “She may not even like the fact the party is over and you’re trying to seduce me.”

Rachel smirked and shook her head. “Not trying, just… getting one last kiss before I return to the sidelines.”

She couldn’t refuse the touch, especially after the months they’d spent together, the pain she was feeling whenever Rachel looked at her with Chloe. Pressing her forehead to Rachel’s she closed her eyes, trying to think of a way to help things along between the two girls she cared about.

“Go keep Chloe company. I won’t be long.” Max said, releasing Rachel’s hips despite her desire to be close to her.

“Don’t take too long, I found it hard enough keeping my hands off her before last night.” Rachel teased, gently stroking Max’s hair before she let her go.

Max stepped aside to allow Rachel to leave the bathroom, looking the door behind her. She leaned over the sink and looked into the mirror above it. Watching Chloe kiss Rachel had hurt if she was honest with herself, knowing her girlfriend felt that way about somebody else, but she’d helped to initiate it by pushing Chloe towards her.

 _Am I really able to share Chloe with somebody else? No…. not just somebody… with Rachel._ She considered the question, staring at her own eyes in the mirror. _Rachel keeps hurting us both, but..._ Running the water in the sink she sighed as the question ran around her head.

When she finally left the bathroom a few minutes later she went straight back to Jen’s room to find Rachel and Chloe and discuss what she’d been thinking about, but they weren’t there. She backed out of the room and went downstairs and saw Chloe and Rachel sat either end of the couch with their feet up while the smell of cooking wafted from the kitchen.

“There’s the hippie.” Chloe said with a smirk, moving her feet to allow Max to sit down beside her and cuddle in. “How’s the hangover?”

“Not as bad as last time.” Max shrugged, kissing Chloe’s cheek. “I have a headache. But I can remember most of the night, except what happened right at the end… but I do recall my girlfriend kissing my best friend, should I be worried?” She teased playfully.

“Hey, you initiated that.” Rachel laughed, poking Max’s thigh with her foot. “I remember that part.”

“Is this what you two want?” Chloe suddenly asked, looking between them. “For us three to be… something?”

Max glanced at Rachel, who could only offer a small shrug of her shoulders in support. Looking back to Chloe she opened her mouth to explain, not having expected this conversation yet, when Jen entered the room.

“Well don’t you three look sweet together.” Jen said, awkwardly balancing a couple of plates and cutlery in her hands.

“Thanks Jen.” Rachel said, taking one of the plates and passing it to Max.

“Pancakes!” Max grinned. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“It was a surprise.” Jen shrugged, passing the other plate to Chloe. “And… I kind of messed up my other attempts.”

She returned again with another two plates and passed one to Rachel as well as a knife and fork. Jen sat down in one of the armchairs and turned on the TV with a remote before starting on her pancakes. Max decided now wasn’t really the time to discuss their relationship, especially in front of Jen. As much as she appreciated the advice the dark haired girl could give, it was something really personal between the three of them.

“Fucking news.” Jen mumbled with food in her mouth, already reaching for the remote to change the channel. “Never watch the shit anyway.”

Before she could change the channel a picture of Mark Jefferson appeared on the screen, Max coughed and Rachel dropped her fork.

“Why’s that fucker on the news?” Chloe growled, but Jen had gone silent.

“Jen?” Rachel said, looking at their host who had frozen.

 _“The recent FBI announcement that Mark Jefferson, the art teacher at Blackwell Academy in Arcadia Bay, Oregon, has turned federal witness has caused outrage among the families of his victims across California...”_ The news reader said calmly.

“He’s a fucking what?!” Rachel shouted.

Max was ignoring the TV as well as Chloe’s and Rachel’s reactions, instead paying close attention to Jen who was staring intently at the TV. Carefully she slid off the couch and put her plate on the floor before kneeling down beside the chair and tentatively taking hold of Jen’s hand, who jumped at the contact.

“Jen?” Max said, noticing the tears in her friends sky blue eyes.

“He…” Jen went quiet, looking past Max at the two other girls in the room. “He was Liz’s teacher. He gave lectures a few years ago.”

“Oh fuck…” Rachel said, joining Max on the floor and taking the plate off Jen’s lap.

Max looked at Jen’s eyes, trying to work out if she should ask the question that was on her mind. “Jen… what did Liz say happened to her?”

“Is this really the time Max?” Rachel asked sharply.

“She uhm… she…” Jen took a deep breath as the tears trickled down her cheeks. “She said she remembered a dark room, clicking and flashing but… not much else. She’d wake up sweating, crying sometimes and I couldn’t always calm her down.”

Rachel sat back on her feet and Max felt Chloe brush past her back to comfort Rachel. Max glanced at the blonde haired girl and noticed the absent look in her eyes, one Max would probably be wearing herself if she wasn’t so concerned about her friends.

“I never believed her.” Jen breathed, looking past Max at the TV.

“It wasn’t your fault, Jen.” Max offered gently.

She glanced around to look at the headline and cringed inwardly at the words on the screen _‘School teacher arrested for drugging and photographing schoolgirls.’_ It made her wonder if any pictures of Rachel had been released to the press, or any pictures at all of the Dark Room victims in Arcadia Bay. They hadn’t been paying much attention to the news over the last two weeks, neither during her original two weeks, or the same two weeks with Rachel. She thought about Kate, who had suffered through that time, almost killing herself because of the bullying and trauma.

“I should have fucking believed her.” Jen said, pulling her hand away from Max as she sat back in her chair, her eyes taking on a distant stare as the tears freely ran down her cheeks.


	24. Dark and Light

Jen’s revelation had left them all speechless. Rachel and Max knew that Liz had killed herself, and Chloe knew that she had died, but none of them had guessed that Liz had been a victim of Mark Jefferson. It hadn’t even crossed their minds that he had been committing his sordid crime before Arcadia Bay. The great start to their morning had been overshadowed with the grief of their friends as Kelly and Brooke were told the news, their own reactions similar to Jen’s. Rachel had returned to the couch with Chloe and Max as the two groups parted to comfort their shocked friends, but Max never explained why they were as horrified by the news. Her own memories of the Dark Room were below the surface, pounding away on her mind as she had tried to blot them out, focused on Rachel and Jen instead.

They spent most of the afternoon trying to help Jen get past how she was feeling but reluctantly went home when Jen had decided she’d had enough attention for the day and went up to bed, her eyes swollen from the tears she had shed. Everybody understood why, especially after Max and Rachel had spent the anniversary of her girlfriend’s death with her.

When they entered their small apartment Rachel quickly turned to Max and wrapped her arms around her. Tears falling down her face as Max held onto her just as tightly. Chloe’s arms were soon around both of them, their heads all pressed together as the memories of Max and Rachel’s experiences dragged them down.

“This changes everything,” Rachel whispered sadly as Chloe placed a kiss on the side of Max’s head. “We can’t wait any longer to tell my Dad.”

“It’s okay,” Max replied, pressing her head to Chloe’s show of affection without releasing Rachel. “We’re with you.”

“Something good was finally happening and that asshole…” Rachel sighed, pulling away from the two of them to start pacing the apartment.

“Rach… it’s not the end of what we have.” Chloe offered gently, releasing Max and stopping Rachel from pacing by placing a hand on her shoulder. “We just…”

“Have to deal with more shit, and then more shit…” Rachel ranted, pulling away from Chloe and pacing again.

Max stepped forward and took hold of both of Rachel’s hands, stopping the girl once more who stared at her with a fire in her hazel eyes. “Then we deal with it together.” She smiled, timidly releasing one of Rachel’s hands to brush her cheek. “You’re not going through it alone.”

Rachel stared into her eyes for a moment before finally speaking. “You have one hell of a girlfriend, Price.” She smiled weakly, something Max wished she could improve.

“She is hella awesome,” Chloe said, making Max blush at the extra compliments the two girls were lavishing upon her.

“So what do we do?” Rachel asked, taking hold of Chloe’s hand and pulling her closer now that she’d stopped pacing. “We have to tell my Dad now.”

“We could call him. Tell him you’re safe.” Chloe offered, putting an arm around Max’s waist.

“If the feds are involved, they’ll want to talk to me.” Rachel said, shaking her head. “And I don’t want them coming here, I need this as our place, our sanctuary from… that.”

“So… we need to go back, again?” Chloe sighed, looking at Max who shrugged her shoulders. “Every time we leave…”

“We have to fucking go back, I know,” Rachel muttered sadly. “We should go, today… get this shit over with.”

“It’s late and it’s at least eleven hours to Portland without stopping,” Max commented, looking beyond the window at the setting sun.

“Then I’ll drive through the night, we’ll stay in Portland and go to Arcadia after we’ve got some rest,” Chloe said, kissing Max on the forehead as Rachel moved away from them.

“Then that’s the plan…” Rachel was already pulling a couple of bags out of the wardrobe. “We need to deal with this, as soon as possible.” She added, lifting the bags onto the bed except for Chloe’s which was still packed.

“I’m going to grab a quick shower before we leave,” Max said quietly, giving Chloe a gentle squeeze before releasing her.

She stepped into the bathroom, wanting time to think and to process how she was feeling. They’d had a great night, something had happened between the three of them that wasn’t completely awkward and had been on the verge of explaining it all to Chloe, hoping she wouldn’t reject the idea. Then the news on the TV had forced their hand, they had to go back to the one place none of them wanted to see again.

After turning on the shower she slowly began to undress out of her clothes that smelled of beer and smoke. Standing in her underwear she was about to remove her vest top when the memories and emotions of the Dark room finally overcame her barriers, seeing the pictures of Rachel when she had been drugged, the memory of Chloe falling backwards into the grave and onto the girl who had been buried there. She leaned against the bathroom door and quietly slid down it, tears rolling down her face as she tried to contain how she was feeling. After seven months she thought she’d overcome it, got past that dreadful memory she had erased from the timeline, but they were still there buried beneath the barriers she had tried to create to remain strong. She tried to stay quiet as she cried, not wanting either of the girls to see her so weak when she had tried to be so strong for so long, but when she hiccoughed she knew there was no chance of that.

“Max?” Rachel said, knocking gently on the bathroom door.

“I’m okay.” She answered, wiping her eyes and standing back up. “All good.” She added, taking off her vest top.

“Do you… want to talk?” Rachel asked kindly.

“No… I’m getting a shower, it’s okay.” She answered, torn between letting Rachel in and hugging her or stripping off and getting the shower.

“You’re a bad liar Max,” Rachel called out, a smile evident in her voice.

“Max… you’re not alone either you dingus.” Chloe shouted.

Max could imagine the two of them pressed up to the door, ready to break it down at a moment’s notice. It brought a smile to her face as she wrapped a towel around her to cover up and opened the door to let them in.

“I can’t even get a shower in peace.” She said, trying to smirk at the two girls who had both kissed her under a shower.

“Do you want to handle her? Or should I?” Rachel said, looking at Chloe.

“I’ll look after her… you pack.” Chloe replied before pushing Max backwards into the bathroom.

“Have fun…” Rachel winked as Chloe closed the door.

The blue haired girl leaned against the door, eye blue eyes on Max as she shifted her bare feet uncomfortably.

“I’m fine…” Max tried to argue but Chloe just gave her an all-knowing look which quickly broke down her poor attempt to lie. “The dark room.” She answered honestly.

“Memories?” Chloe asked, pulling Max to her and holding her close.

“Mhm.” Max nodded, wrapping her arms around Chloe and closing her eyes. “And seeing you die.”

“You’re safe Max, he never got you,” Chloe said gently, gently stroking the back of Max’s hair.

“And… now that I know her, that I care so much about her… I see the pictures he took of her and I just… I just…” Tears started to spill down her face again as the image of Rachel lying on the floor came back to her.

“She’s safe too, thanks to you,” Chloe whispered. “You’re both safe Max.”

She didn’t know what to say, or how to explain it and merely snuggled into Chloe, appreciating the soothing effect the girl’s presence had on her. It made her feel better that Chloe didn’t move away or become impatient, merely holding Max and stroking her hair for however long it took for her to overcome the emotions she was feeling.

* * *

 

After Max had finally got her shower with Chloe, who had insisted on not letting her out of her sight, the three of them loaded up Chloe’s truck with their three bags. Max double checked they’d locked the front door before returning to the vehicle that was idling on the kerb, the passenger left open for her to climb in straight away. As soon as she climbed in Rachel slid a little closer to her, she instinctively put her arm around the blonde girl as Chloe drove them away from the apartment.

Chloe tried to take their minds off what was to come with bad jokes and witty one-liners, but Max knew it was also a way for her to stay awake for the trip. She kept her girlfriend talking, trying to tell her stories about their time in San Francisco without mentioning Jen and what she must be going through. It wasn’t until they were four hours into their trip they noticed Rachel had fallen asleep on Max.

“Put this over her,” Chloe said, passing Max her brown jacket.

Max did as she was told, flicking the jacket straight from the collar and laying it over the sleeping girl, before putting her arm around her once more. She kept looking at Chloe, who would glance at the two of them and smile.

“We knew this was coming,” Max said quietly, trying to get comfortable in the corner of the seat.

“The trip or… you two?” Chloe asked, leaning against the door.

“The trip,” Max answered, hoping last night wasn’t upsetting Chloe. “And… last night, if you’re not happy with me then…”

“It’s fine Maxi.” Chloe smiled, using her affectionate term for Max and settling some of the butterflies in her stomach. “I’m… kind of glad it happened… I didn’t know how I was supposed to be feeling about Rachel when I’m with you and… you two already knew how that felt, didn’t you?”

Max gave a small nod of her head when Chloe glanced in her direction. “And I’ve felt guilty about it all that time.” She added sadly.

“So did you plan last night?” Chloe asked, tapping the ring on her right hand on the wheel.

“No! No, we wouldn’t try to trick you!” Max said sounding a little alarmed, she didn’t want Chloe thinking of her and Rachel like that, like they’d try to manipulate her.

“I wouldn’t be mad if you did. It’s… sort of set some things straight for me.”

“Like what?” She asked nervously, unable to stop herself from wondering if Chloe was about to break up with her.

“Like I really want to be with you.” Chloe grinned, glancing at Max. “You don’t have to worry about that babe.” Max let out a sigh and smiled happily, glad her relationship with Chloe wasn’t in jeopardy. “But… I did miss Rach.” Chloe added, looking back to the road.

“She missed you…a lot. When she was detoxing from that shit they gave her… she had hallucinations.” Max admitted, checking Rachel was still asleep.

“What kind of hallucinations?” Chloe asked curiously.

“Mostly of you,” Max answered honestly, gently stroking Rachel’s hair. “How sorry she was, admissions of guilt. Chloe… listening to her like that…” She carefully wiped a tear from her eyes as she remembered Rachel’s constant rambling.

“It’s okay,” Chloe said, changing hands on the wheel and reaching out to take hold of Max’s, stopping her from stroking Rachel’s hair.

“You have no idea how long it took just to get a picture of her without her jumping.” She added, looking down at the girl's peaceful features.

“That bad huh?” Her girlfriend said, releasing Max’s hand and placing it on Rachel’s hip.

“She was always trying though…” Max grinned, thinking of the dozens of times Rachel asked for her picture to be taken, despite her fears. “I think that’s when…”

“You and she started to connect.” Chloe finished her sentence. “Rachel said she wanted to be in both of our lives… is that how you feel?”

“I don’t know,” Max mumbled, afraid of the true answer, afraid of it upsetting Chloe.

“Where’s my confident Max gone?” Chloe teased.

“What do you want?” Max asked, looking at Chloe curiously, wondering just what the punk girl was thinking.

“Put me on the spot why don’t you?” Chloe laughed, clearly trying to shrug off the question.

“Tell me, right now. If we had managed to stay awake last night… how far would you have liked to have gone?” Max was curious, she wanted to know if only to satisfy her own mind.

“Ugh… Max…” Chloe complained, shifting in her seat. “Don’t make a girl uncomfortable.”

“Well you’re asking me what I want.” Max grinned, happy to see Chloe in such a state for once. She was normally so brash and confident it was a nice reversal.

“I don’t know,” Chloe answered quietly. “I mean, it felt weird kissing her with you watching, like I should have been kissing you.”

“I’m sorry,” Max mumbled, looking out of the windscreen at the well-lit highway. “I just… I don’t know what came over me.”

“Did you… like that? Seeing me kiss Rachel?” Chloe asked curiously.

“Oh now look who’s putting who on the spot.” Max chuckled, trying to avoid the question just like Chloe had moments ago.

“Just answer the question hippie,” Chloe said, sounding playful.

“It made me a little jealous… but… afterwards when I got to kiss her it just… felt good.” She answered as honestly as she could, running a hand through Rachel’s hair and making the girl shift and cuddle into her to get comfy. “Now you answer my question… What do you want?”

“Fuck Max…” Chloe grinned, tapping her ring on the wheel again. “I don’t want to lose you to her, or at all.” She said gently, glancing at Max. “I don’t want you both to leave me.”

Max thought about what Chloe said for a moment, a little surprised that she would feel that way after what both she and Rachel had been trying to tell her.

“Pull over at the next gas station, please?” She said, a small plan forming in her head.

Chloe nodded her head but said nothing more. It was an awkward silence as neither of them said anything as they continued down the highway. Eventually, Chloe pulled the truck off the road and into a parking space, killing the engine and leaning back in her seat.

“Help?” Max grinned, indicating the sleeping girl.

Carefully Max opened the door beside her and slid out, lying Rachel down on the seat and using her own jacket as a pillow for the girl to rest her head on. She walked around the truck to a confused looking Chloe, opened the door and pulled her out of the truck. They closed the door quietly and Max, using all the confidence she could muster, pressed against her girlfriend, stood on her tiptoes and gave Chloe the most passionate kiss she could muster, pouring all of the emotions she felt for her into that single moment. Each time Max started to part their kiss, Chloe would pull her back into it, pulling her bottom lip or teasing her tongue with her own. Then Chloe would start to move away and Max would want it to continue just a little longer.

Finally they parted, a look of passion in Chloe’s eyes that Max loved to see. She flicked her nose over Chloe’s and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

“I waited seven months, Chloe. You’ve always been a big part of me, since we were kids… and when I realised how much I love you…..” She whispered, dropping back onto the soles of her feet. “I never stopped. I am not leaving you now, and while I have this power…” She glanced at her tattoo and smiled. “I’m not letting go.”

“I love you too Max,” Chloe whispered, a wide smile on her face as she gently pressed her hand to Max’s cheek. “And I’m not letting go of you either.”

Max was trying to find the words to tell Chloe what she wanted them to be, how she wanted Rachel to be apart of what they had, but the tiny part of her fears held her tongue. She was too lost in the moment she had with her girlfriend to want to ruin it, so when Chloe tilted her head to kiss her again she accepted the touch of her lips and enjoyed the embrace they shared.

* * *

 

As Rachel slowly woke up she enjoyed the gentle stroking of her hair and the pressure of the body she was cuddled into. It still felt like a dream, knowing she was asleep on Max and it was almost acceptable. The lights from the highway flashed by as she opened her eyes, alerting her to the fact she hadn’t slept for as long as she’d thought.

“Hey sleepy,” Max said as Rachel slowly raised her head.

“Hi.” She smiled as she rest her head on Max’s shoulder. “Where are we?”

“A couple more hours ‘til we reach Portland,” Chloe answered.

“Is this your jacket?” She asked, noticing the brown jacket that was draped across her.

“We wanted to make sure you were warm.” Chloe sniggered. “Plus, it’s not the first time you’ve slept under my jacket.”

“Won’t be the last either if I have my way,” Rachel mumbled, placing her arm around Max’s waist. “I’m gonna go back to sleep.”

“Keep Max company first while I grab a bottle of water,” Chloe said as the truck slowed down and began to turn.

“Mhm,” Rachel grumbled, turning her head and scratching her nose on Max’s shoulder and noticing a smile on the girl’s face.

The truck came to a stop and Rachel heard the familiar sound of the driver door opening and closing, something she’d heard so many times in the past and now found so calming. She was also aware of Max’s hand on the back of her head, still stroking her hair.

“How’s it going with Chloe?” She asked, wondering if anything had been decided about their futures.

“I tried to bring it up… but I chickened out.” Max answered quietly, placing her free arm over Rachel’s on her stomach. “I think she wants something but unless I ask directly…”

“You won’t know.” Rachel nodded, understanding Max’s worries.

She thought about the problem for a moment, wondering if she should pull Chloe aside and try to talk to her. In a few hours Rachel would be dealing with her Dad again, a man she’d tried to get as far away from as possible, then the feds would be brought into it and she had no idea how long their scrutiny would last.

“I have an idea.” She whispered, looking up at Max’s freckled face. “Do you trust me?”

Max gave a quick nod and a smile, enough to make Rachel smile back. “Yes. I do.” She answered. Despite all of Rachel’s fuck-ups, it was something she felt really happy to hear.

“Then follow my lead.” She winked at her before resting her head back on Max’s shoulder, hearing the familiar sound of the truck door once more.

Rather than trying to go back to sleep Rachel stayed awake but resting on Max, listening to her breathing and the small conversations with Chloe, adding in her own joke when she had a witty response. The laughter of the two girls she cared about made her smile, especially when she felt the gentle touch of Chloe’s hand on her hip when she was being affectionate.

When they reached a hotel in the very early hours of the morning Max climbed out of the truck first, followed closely by Rachel who put on a black hoodie and pulled the hood up to hide her blonde hair. Taking Max’s bag from her, she took the chance to give her some instructions.

“Get one room.” She said, putting the straps to both bags over her shoulders. “So your dad doesn’t ask awkward questions.”

“Okay.” Max nodded, pulling their art bag across her own slender shoulders.

Chloe walked around the truck with her own bag and took hold of Max’s hand as the smaller girl led the way into the hotel. Inside Rachel tried to hang back slightly, joined by Chloe as Max approached the front desk.

“How you doing?” Chloe asked kindly, taking hold of both of Rachel’s hands.

“Nervous,” Rachel answered with a small smile. “I was hoping we’d have more time to… get our situation sorted out.”

“As in where we’re living?” Chloe said quietly, glancing at Max for a moment.

“And our futures.” Rachel smiled, looking into the blue eyes she’d spent so many months admiring when she was with Chloe.

“You’re definitely part of them.” Chloe grinned. “I can’t go through losing you all over again. I’ve almost lost you twice now.”

“You won’t lose me, Chloe.” Rachel said, releasing Chloe’s hand to brush her blue hair away from her eyes. “I have no intention of going anywhere without you.”

“Come on you two… we have a room.” Max said, showing off the keycard. “And Chloe looks tired.”

With a small smile, Chloe released Rachel’s hand and took hold of Max’s, giving Rachel a moment to watch the two most important people in her life. The petite girl who had saved her life all those months ago, and the blue-haired punk who had also saved her life in the junkyard years ago. She rushed to catch up before the elevator could close and took hold of Max’s hand, comforted when Max kept a firm grip on her hand in turn.

When they reached their room they didn’t say much to each other despite the size of the suite Max had chosen on her Dad’s credit card. Chloe was tired from the long drive and Max had bags under her eyes, having stayed awake to keep Chloe company. In the bedroom the two of them took the bed closest to the window while Rachel had the other bed, lying on her side to look at Max who was the closest to her. She couldn’t stop herself from admiring the freckles on Max’s face, the way her brunette hair fell across her eyes while her mouth was open slightly as she was falling asleep.

Rolling onto her back she looked up into the darkness of the room, trying not to think about where she was going back to for the third time. Quietly she hoped it would be the last time they ever had to set foot in Arcadia Bay again, the three of them could finally move on and leave it behind. An image of the three of them on a beach somewhere made her smile, no pressure from the world around them, just them and the waves. Then she thought of Max with her camera and stifled a laugh.

Knowing she wasn’t about to get back to sleep she decided to get a shower and make herself look more presentable for the day ahead. She took her time to enjoy the warm water, especially knowing Max and Chloe were fast asleep. The shower brought back the memory of Jen, making her wonder if the girl she had shared so many intimate moments with was okay. They hadn’t heard from any of them since they had left, but they all had their own traumas to deal with.

When she got out of the shower she returned to the bedroom and opened her travel bag on the bed, looking through what she’d packed for something to wear. She pulled out some underwear and a bra, then a black pair of ripped jeans but didn’t know what to wear on her upper body. Torn between her red plaid shirt and a white t-shirt, or taking something from Max’s bag that she had packed for her. Curiously she opened Max’s bag and pulled out a black t-shirt with blue butterflies on the shoulders, she’d not seen it before, but Max had the extra clothes from her time with Chloe now. She took a black button up shirt from the bag as well, deciding to ignore colour for the day, especially as she wasn’t looking forward to seeing her father.

Comfortably dressed she checked the time on her phone. She’d killed enough time for the hotel to be serving breakfast which she intended to make the most of, considering Max’s choice of suites they had a living room as well as the bedroom and bathroom. She could have breakfast without disturbing her two lovely girls.

Everything she was doing was to kill time until Max and Chloe woke up, she didn’t want to wake them just to keep her company and she didn’t want to leave their side either. She didn’t feel the need to run away from the two of them, she wanted their presence and the joy that managed to lift her heart when she felt down. Her breakfast arrived and she allowed the waiter to enter, laying out her meal kindly.

“Thanks.” She smiled, passing him a tip as he left.

She sat at the table, pouring out a glass of orange juice as she started playing the conversation with her Dad around her head, what she was going to say, how she was going to say it. It had to be perfect, especially if she was to keep Max’s amazing powers a secret. With the FBI involved, they didn’t want them taking an interest in Max, prodding and poking her to find out what powers she had or how she could use them.

Looking at her meal she realised she’d been swirling the strawberries around the bowl, unable to come up with a definitive story that would keep Max safe. Months ago she’d have been able to lie easily without batting an eyelid, she could play her part perfectly without an issue but since that night... she tried not to think about it.

“Hey,” Max said, grabbing her attention to the girl who was stretching in the doorway to the bedroom, still dressed in the clothes she’d worn during their trip north.

“Hi, did I wake you?” Rachel asked, pushing a chair out from the table with her foot.

Max shook her head and sat down in the proffered seat, placing her left hand on the table palm up for Rachel to take hold, which she did without question.

“Chloe’s just waking up, said she wanted to talk to us,” Max said quietly, taking a strawberry from the bowl with her other hand.

“Something serious?” Rachel whispered, glancing over to the bedroom.

“I think…” Max replied, taking a bite of the fruit.

Rachel sighed, hoping it wasn’t anything bad as she noticed the blue haired girl stretching in the dark room before exiting and smiling at the two girls.

“Breakfast!” Chloe grinned, rushing over and taking a strawberry from the bowl as well.”Goo’ ‘oice” She said with the fruit in her mouth.

“Glad you approve.” Rachel grinned, releasing Max’s hand and sitting back. “Max said you wanted to talk to us.”

“Oh… that.” Chloe said, shifting on her feet. “So… uhm… drink first.” She grabbed Rachel’s glass and took a sip of the juice. “I’ve been thinking… a lot.” She continued, pulling out a third chair and sitting down.

“What about?” Max asked gently, taking another strawberry.

“You two… the other night…” Chloe answered, looking between the two of them.

“If it’s too weird it won’t happen again.” Rachel quickly said, her hopes of a future with the both of them falling away.

“No I… this sounds weird as fuck but fuck it, right? I… liked it.” Chloe whispered, pulling a face that showed how nervous she was to admit it. “I mean… I care about you both and I don’t want to be parted from either of you and I know it’s really soon… but it isn’t… oh fuck.” Chloe rambled, scratching the back of her neck when she was feeling nervous, a straight Rachel had seen many times throughout the years with her.

“Babe…” Max whispered, taking hold of Chloe’s hand.

“I don’t want you two to feel awkward to share a kiss when I know how you feel, and I’d… kind of like to… be able to kiss Rach too.” Chloe grimaced. “I know, it sounds so fucking weird and…”

“Max…” Rachel started to say, but the petite girl was well ahead of her.

“I’ve been trying to ask you if we could include Rachel in… what we have.” Max explained carefully. “But I had no idea how you’d react.”

“So you two… have been trying to ask me?” Chloe said, glancing between them.

“Jen explained this… kind of thing to us once, like a triad instead of a couple.” Rachel leaned on the table, trying to remember how Jen had explained it. “Like… we’d all be equal in the relationship. Considering how we feel about you as well, it’s been on our minds, but only if you still felt the same way.”

“But I didn’t want to ruin what we have.” Max added quickly. “I thought about it but only if you wanted it too… but we didn’t know and…”

“That kiss told you, huh?” Chloe nodded, clearly understanding it a little better.

“We didn’t plan that,” Rachel muttered quietly. “It just… kind of… happened. We didn’t want to rush anything because… well… I was dead to you.”

“So that’s what you meant by a future with us,” Chloe said, looking across the table at Rachel who nodded timidly.

“I don’t need an answer now… we can wait until…” Rachel started to say quickly, trying to brush past the awkwardness.

“Yes.” Chloe said, surprising Rachel who glanced at Max who was wearing the same look of surprise. “I want a future with you both.” Chloe added, reaching across the table for Rachel’s hand too.

“You’re not just… saying it to avoid weirdness?” Rachel asked, afraid to take her hand in case it was a trick.

“Rach… I spent years trying to get out of Arcadia Bay with you, and when we finally connected, I lost you. Now I have Max back and… I don’t want to choose between either of you. I want to be fucking selfish and have you both.” Chloe grinned as Max slipped out of her chair to put her arms around her.

Slowly Rachel put her hand in Chloe’s and felt the tug as she stood up and moved around the table to wrap her arms around both of the girls she had.

“Thank you.” Rachel breathed as Max’s forehead touched her own and Chloe was sandwiched between them.

* * *

 

Returning to Arcadia Bay had never left Rachel feeling so anxious, even when they’d returned to see the tornado devastate their homes, or to meet Chloe in the junkyard. There had always been a reason for Rachel wanting to be there, but this time was different. She wanted to reclaim her life, to be able to earn money towards the new relationship she was now in with the two girls who would risk so much for her, but she didn’t want to have to deal with her Dad or the barrage of questions that would come her way.

The closer they got to her old home the more anxious she became and the tighter she held Max’s hand.

“We won’t leave your side.” Max said supportively, kissing Rachel’s shoulder. “No matter what happens you’ve got us.”

“I know.” Rachel whispered, leaning her head onto Max’s as she saw the house ahead of them. “If this goes wrong…” She started to say when Max tapped their art bag.

“We have a backup.” Max smiled, referring to a selfie they’d taken in the hotel room after they’d finished getting ready.

When the truck was pulled up outside the Amber residence none of them made any kind of motions to get out. Rachel held both of their hands, taking deep breaths as she looked at the front door, expecting her Dad to open it any minute.

“Chloe… give Max and I a moment?” She asked gently.

“Sure.” Chloe nodded, opening the driver door and stepping out of the cab with her jacket.

When the door closed Rachel turned to Max, taking hold of both of her hands. “You saved my life Max, and I mean… really saved it. I don’t want to think where I’d be if it wasn't for you and… these gifts.” She said quickly, running her thumb over the tattoo on Max’s left palm.

“I’m glad I saved you.” Max whispered, a smile on her pretty face.

“They won’t find out about your powers, we’re done with this shit… we have a future that I want.” Rachel smiled, releasing Max’s hand and placing her hand on her neck instead. “Max… I want you to know… I love you.” She whispered softly, hoping Chloe wouldn’t be upset if she heard.

“I love you too Rach.” Max replied, touching her forehead to Rachel’s like they used to do, only it continued into the kiss they’d always wanted to share.

They forced themselves to stop, aware that Chloe was waiting for them both, but Rachel didn’t want it to go unsaid with what they were about to go through. She wanted Max to be well aware of how she felt, and how much she meant to her.

She slid over to the driver side door and opened it, stepping out to Chloe’s smirking face. “Perving?” Rachel grinned.

“You’re my girlfriends, I’m allowed to.” Chloe laughed quietly, her hands in her jacket pockets. “Not jealous, before either of you ask.” She added as Max walked around the truck.

“Well we love you too.” Max said, slipping her arm through the gap between Chloe’s arm and side.

Rachel smiled and gave Chloe a quick kiss on the lips. “Come on… let’s get this over with. We have our future to plan.” She grinned, trying to stay upbeat despite the weight on her shoulders.

They approached the front door together, but Rachel reached it first, taking a deep breath as she expected all hell to break loose. She shifted on the spot until she felt Max’s hand in her own, her conviction and confidence returning as she touched the handle and opened the door.

“Dad… Mom…”


	25. Half Truths

“Dad… Mom…” Rachel said, stepping inside and looking around the interior of the house.

It had been so long since she had been back here properly, especially after moving out and into the Blackwell Dormitory. It had given her the freedom she needed from her Dad and his lies, but coming back just to say she was alive felt like she was returning to a cage. Max’s grip on her hand was a comforting touch; it stopped her taking a step back as she wanted to run, to escape the prison she’d willingly walked back into.

A loud bang came from her father’s study, followed by the door being thrown open. Her father was a little greyer in the temples, more lines on his face, but for the most part, he looked the same despite the age on his face.

“Rachel?!” he exclaimed, clearly surprised to see her. His face broke into a smile as he stepped forward, wrapping her in his arms. “Oh God, Rachel!”

“Rachel?!” her adoptive mother shouted, coming down the stairs quickly with a dustpan in her hands that was soon dropped as the woman also put her arms around her.

Rachel was caught between the two people she hadn’t wanted to ever see again but who were clearly glad to see her.

“Where’ve you been? Are you okay? What happened? Chloe? Miss Caulfield? What’s going on?” her dad said, a barrage of questions without taking a moment to allow them to answer.

“Dad… I…” she started to say.

“Where did you find her? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” her father continued.

“Dad, I’m fine!” Rachel finally managed to say. “Give me time to at least give you an answer!” she said a little angrily.

She tried to understand what they’d been going through, but she didn’t want to play twenty questions with them; she wanted to recover her life and leave.

“Rachel… we’ve been so worried about you,” Rose said timidly. “Please, sit down. Are you okay?” the woman said kindly, releasing Rachel from her grip and gently pulling James away too.

“I’m fine,” she repeated, leading Max and Chloe to the couch with her, who were both remaining quiet.

Begrudgingly, she sat on the couch as indicated, followed by Max and Chloe who sat on either side of her, holding her hands to show her the support she needed. The support she couldn’t go on without now that she had them. She had no idea when it had happened, when she’d become so dependent on Max’s presence. When she’d met Jen she hadn’t needed Max; she’d been trying to get as far away as possible, but now she couldn’t see herself parted from the brunette girl.

“I need to call the FBI and let them know she’s here safe,” her Dad said. “I’ll only be a minute.”

Rachel opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it. They had their plan, they knew what they were going to say, but something in her twisted. She didn’t want to go through with this; Jefferson wasn’t going to pay for his crimes as a federal witness. Instead, she let out a sigh and felt Max’s arm slip around her waist, a comforting touch that didn’t go unnoticed by Rose.

“I’m glad you’ve got to meet her,” Rose said, smiling at Max.

“She’s… a great person,” Max replied with a small smile.

Rachel could hear the difficulty of lying in Max’s voice, but Chloe, fortunately, caught it too.

“I’d told Max all about her, it’s… like they already know each other,” Chloe said with a nod. “Like they’re best of friends.”

Rose gave a weak smile and a nod but said no more on the matter. It made Rachel wonder whether her adoptive Mom had bought their story, especially as the rest of their story was going to be so much harder.

When James returned from his study, they fussed over her non-stop, dozens of questions about her health, how she’d been, where she’d been. She danced around the inquiry as best as possible, aware of her father’s ever-watchful gaze. He’d glance at Max and Chloe as well when she would answer a question, almost like he was gauging their reactions.

Not once did he ask a question about what had happened; they never touched on the subject even after almost two hours of meticulous questioning.

“It is so good to have you back,” Rose said sweetly as Rachel’s dad nodded his agreement.

“I’m not staying,” she quickly said, hoping to make it perfectly clear. “I moved out for a reason. I came back because Chloe and Max told me I was presumed dead.”

“After what you must have gone through…” her dad started to say when she quickly cut him off.

“Was nothing compared to your constant lying,” she argued. “I managed to move on from this shit, despite… what happened.” The memories of the Dark Room were once again on her mind, the feeling of hopelessness, the need for it to end. She tried to covertly relax into Max’s arm, comforted by the girl who had experienced that horrible place.

“The FBI are going to want to ask questions… they have him in custody, it’s a federal case,” her dad explained, though it clearly exasperated Chloe.

“You want her to relive it all when that fucking asshole is a federal witness?” Chloe demanded, standing up to confront Rachel’s dad like she had done so many times before.

“This is not up to you, Miss Price. So sit down before I ask you to leave, again,” he retorted, which only seemed to drive Chloe further.

“If you ask her to leave, I’m going with her,” Rachel growled, standing up and taking hold of her girlfriend’s hand. “I just want my things so I can live my life!” she shouted, feeling Max take hold of her other hand as the girl stood up beside them.

As her father opened his mouth to protest there was a knock on the front door, causing all of them to look towards it except James, who quickly went to open it. He stepped aside and allowed a dark haired man and a blonde woman to enter, who were both carrying brown file folders.

“Hello, Miss Amber,” the woman said, a kind smile on her face. “I’m Special Agent Clara Mouret. This is my partner…”

“Special Agent Phillips,” the man said politely.

“Please… take a seat,” Rachel’s dad said, having closed the door after the agents had come inside.

As Rachel, Chloe, and Max sat back down on the couch, the two agents stepped into the small living area and sat down in the available seats, placing their files on their laps as they looked at Rachel.

“We’re glad to see you’re safe, Miss Amber,” Phillips said, placing his hands together on top of his files. “We’ve been quite worried about you since we determined the body in the junkyard wasn’t yours.”

“I… don’t have any idea about that,” Rachel answered quietly, squeezing Max’s hand for comfort.

“What do you remember? If you don’t mind telling us,” Clara said, opening the file on her lap and turning over a number of sheets of paper.

“Do I… have to provide evidence?” Rachel asked, taking everybody in the room by surprise. They all looked at her in shock, even Max and Chloe who she hadn’t discussed her idea with. “I mean… Jefferson’s a federal witness, you’re going to give him some kind of deal for his crimes no matter what I tell you.”

Clara sighed and nodded her head. “You’ve heard that piece of news then.”

“When they’re hearing it down in Cali… yeah, I heard,” Rachel nodded, leaning back on the sofa. “What’s the point in stepping up if he’s going to get away with it? I just came back to get my things.”

“Miss Amber… we just need your statement for what he did to you in the bunker and what you remember afterwards. We’re making sure we have all the facts,” Phillips said, taking pieces of paper from inside his file.

She recounted what she could remember of the Dark Room, but needed the firm comfort of Chloe and Max beside her, who the two Federal Agents didn’t seem to mind. It wasn’t a long story, though it felt worse. The black gaps in her memory upset her more than anything, the unknown of what had happened. Max’s comforting touch kept her calm enough to tell her story, the touch of her hand on Rachel’s lower back that reminded her of their illicit kisses, the moments she had got what she wanted despite what it could cost them.

She took a deep breath as she reached the part of the story that was a lie, the part that had to erase Max from her life for six months because of her gifts.

“I was taken to San Francisco… and from there… all I can remember is escaping onto the streets,” she said, starting the lie that could be so easily unravelled.

“Are these the men who you escaped from?” Clara asked as she handed over the pieces of paper Phillips had produced earlier.

She looked at the two faces on the paper and held them carefully towards Max. The girl's nails scratched gently against her back; they both recognised the men. These were the men they had seen at the motel the day before the storm.

“No,” she said truthfully but decided not to elaborate on having seen them in Arcadia Bay.

“Do you know who you escaped from?” Clara asked as she took the pictures back from Rachel.

“A man and a woman I think,” Rachel answered, thinking of the two people Max had said she’d killed. ”I didn’t get a good look. I was trying to escape.”

“So… where’ve you been for seven months Miss Amber? Why not call your father or mother?” Phillips asked, glancing between the three girls after he put the pictures away.

“I’d finally got away. I… didn’t want to come back,” she answered carefully.

“You didn’t want justice? You didn’t want to see Mark Jefferson or Nathan Prescott face justice for what they did to you?” he asked sharply, annoying her slightly.

“I was scared to come back. I didn’t want to see them, or face them.” Rachel looked at her father who frowned at her statement.

“Why not?” James asked, looking surprised.

“You have no idea how I felt when they were… when they… I wanted it to be over, so when it was… I wanted it to stay that way!” she shouted, frowning at her Dad.

“It’s okay, Miss Amber, we understand,” Clara said gently. “Where have you been for seven months though?” she asked, repeating Phillips’ question.

“Why does it matter?” she asked, trying to keep the annoyance from her voice.

“We just want to make sure nothing… untoward happened to you,” Clara said calmly. “How did you find her?” she asked, directing the question to Chloe.

“I called her,” Rachel answered quickly. “When I saw the news… about Jefferson. I called Chloe, I needed to see her, I needed to know she was safe.”

“So you left your friend, father, and mother to worry about you for seven months? And never thought to call any of them?” Phillips asked curiously.

“Look… I don’t want to give evidence, I want this to be over. Done. I just want my life back.” Rachel said defensively, her entire plan falling apart.

“Does she have to give evidence or be a witness or anything?” Max asked supportively.

“No. If she decides to be uncooperative then we’ll have to accept that,” Clara answered, looking towards her partner momentarily. “Obviously the charges will be weighed against what Mr. Jefferson has done for us as a federal witness.”

“In other words, he may get to walk away despite drugging girls. Great,” Chloe complained angrily. “What the fuck has he done that gives him this kind of protection from prosecution?”

“Not a fan of the news?” Phillips asked calmly.

“Stayed away from it for three weeks.” Chloe shrugged. “Had other things on my mind.”

“Mr. Jefferson helped the FBI in breaking a nationwide prostitution ring, thanks to his position in procuring girls for them,” Phillips answered. “It had been an ongoing case for some time, and his information helped crack it.”

“Girls like me?” Rachel asked, horrified at the idea that she may have been pimped out.

“Kate…” Max mumbled, causing Rachel to look round at the girl who appeared horrified by what they had just discovered.

“Miss Marsh was never in any danger, fortunately; the system they used meant she was never… wanted.” Phillips explained carefully, clearly hiding something.

“What about Victoria?” Max asked suddenly.

Rachel felt the panic rise in her chest, how close Max was to revealing her powers by accident.

“Miss Chase? She was saved that night by the timely arrival of Mr. Madsen and Arcadia Bay Police officers.” Clara asked. “How did you know about that?”

“We attended the memorial,” Chloe answered quickly. “Word travels in a small group.”

“Of course.” Phillips nodded, though he continued to eye Max suspiciously.

“Miss Amber, we’re happy to give you twenty-four hours to consider your position. If you’re sure you wouldn’t like to provide evidence then we’ll respect your wishes. However, if you’d like to proceed… feel free to give us a call,” Clara said, taking a business card from her file and handing it over.

The special agents both stood up and shook James’s hand before leaving, while not one of the trio wanted to shake the special agent's hands considering what they had heard about Jefferson. Rachel leaned into Chloe, who put her arm around her shoulders and rest her chin on Rachel’s head.

“Rachel…” her dad started to say.

“I need time to think,” she said, cutting him off. “And I need my things, I can’t stay here.”

* * *

 

With some reluctance, James and Rose allowed the three girls to go upstairs and start packing some of Rachel’s things from her room. Max sat on the bed, her hands in her lap, silently staring at the floor while Chloe and Rachel started packing a large travel bag she had kept for years, waiting for the moment they would leave.

Rachel found her spare blue feather earring and quickly placed it in her left ear, feeling a little more complete now that she had it back. She looked for her ID then remembered she had them on her when she had been abducted. Fortunately, they wouldn’t be too difficult to replace now that she wasn’t considered dead or missing.

“We can’t keep lying,” Max said quietly, making both Chloe and Rachel turn to look at her. “They didn’t believe your story,” she added.

“Max… what are you saying?” Chloe asked, kneeling down before their girlfriend as Rachel walked around the bed.

“Maybe… I should tell them... about my gifts?” Max shrugged, looking at her tattoo. “It would at least give you two the freedom to move on.”

“That’s not happening,” Rachel said quickly, climbing onto her bed behind Max and wrapping her arms around her neck. “Chloe can tell you… once I get what I want, I’m never letting go.”

“She’s right,” Chloe smirked, taking hold of both of Max’s hands. “And I’m not letting go of you either.”

“But… you could give evidence without needing to lie,” Max argued softly, leaning back into Rachel’s arms.

“Or we could let it go… and move on,” Rachel said firmly. “The fucker is going to get away with it anyway…”

“Which is bullshit,” Chloe interrupted angrily.

“But… we can move on, like we’ve already tried to,” she finished, looking into Chloe’s blue eyes and seeing the anger behind them. “I wish I could change it but… we can’t.”

“Do you not feel… angry about it?” Max asked, leaning to the side and turning her head to look at Rachel.

“It pisses me the fuck off,” she answered honestly, thinking of how she felt when she had no control. “Nathan died for it, and Jeffershit’s going to do less time for it than he should.”

“What about justice for Liz?” Max persisted. “Justice for Jen? If we let this go…”

“It would mean running the risk of losing you.” Chloe shook her head. “I can’t let that happen.”

“And neither can I,” Rachel added. “I’d sooner die… than lose you. Either of you.” She looked at Chloe who smiled at her softly.

“But…” Max tried to protest again.

“We’ll help Jen, however we can. She’s our friend too,” Rachel said, trying to comfort Max. “But I’m sorry Maxi… you’re outnumbered.” She grinned when using Chloe’s affectionate name for Max, something that was going to stick.

When Max had settled a little more and stopped arguing with them, they continued packing the things Rachel wanted to take: mostly clothes but some memorabilia from her past, too. Noticing an old picture of Nathan and herself made her stop and look. They’d had a friendship for years, and she’d even helped him in the past with some of his grades and photography.

“You okay?” Max asked, placing a hand on Rachel’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” she answered, taking the picture from the wall before ripping it into pieces and throwing it in the bin. “It’s the past.” She smiled weakly, turning to Max and putting her arms around her.

The petite girl wrapped her arms around her waist and held her comfortingly, a small hug that helped her feel a little better after seeing the face of a tormentor who had once been a friend.

“So… we going back to Portland?” Chloe asked as the two broke apart, wrapping an arm around Max’s waist almost possessively. “I’d rather not have to see step-fuck again.”

Rachel leaned against the desk below the window and folded her arms across her chest. She couldn’t help but feel a small amount of jealousy at the closeness between Max and Chloe when she needed one of them.

“It’s really late,” Max said, looking out of the window behind Rachel. “I’d rather you didn’t have to drive at night again,” she added, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder while looking at Rachel.

“I managed all the way to San Francisco… I don’t mind doing it to Portland,” Chloe replied, stroking a strand of Max’s hair behind her ear and out of her eyes.

Shifting uncomfortably, Rachel watched the two girls she cared about with nothing to add. She wanted to leave Arcadia Bay, but she didn’t want Chloe to keep wearing herself out driving them around. There was also the fact that since they were all in a relationship together, she wanted to spend time with them that wasn’t filled with stress. she wanted to do nothing and enjoy their company.

“Rach?” Max whispered, reaching out and taking hold of one of her hands. “What would you like to do?”

“I… think we should stay at Chloe’s,” she answered, pulling herself towards Max and putting an arm around Chloe’s waist. “It’s closer… and I don’t want you knocking yourself out,” she added, looking into Chloe’s eyes.

“Alright.” Chloe nodded, putting an arm around Rachel in turn. “But if step-shit says anything…”

“We’ll beat him into submission for you.” Rachel grinned, releasing Max’s hand to put her arm around her too. “I need this…” she whispered to the both of them.

“You have us,” Chloe responded gently, pulling the three of them together.

* * *

 

Getting away from Rachel’s parents was easier than Max had expected. They hadn’t been stopped as they carried two heavy bags down the stairs and out to Chloe’s truck. Rose and James had followed them to the door, offering no complaints with their decision to leave. To Rachel’s credit, she showed a lot of empathy for Rose, who she had hugged and assured she would be okay. Her father, on the other hand, was shown a level of apathy Max had never seen Rachel capable of, uncaring but also without anger or love. Her experiences in the Dark Room clearly hadn’t absolved James of his sins, nor the fact he had given up looking for her after only a month like Chloe had told her.

They had left the house behind without a backward glance from the blonde haired girl, her confidence and commitment to her own plan evident on her face, something Max hadn’t seen during their time in San Francisco. When they finally arrived at Chloe’s old home, she was surprised to see the door open and to see Joyce step outside, a look of concern on her face.

“What are you doing back?” Joyce asked, her arms folded against her chest. “I thought the two of you were…” She went silent as Chloe exited the truck, followed closely by Rachel and Max. “Rachel?” she asked incredulously.

“Hi, Mrs Madsen,” Rachel said, offering a small wave. “I hope we’re not intruding, but we could do with a place to stay for the night.”

“Where have you been?” Joyce asked, rushing over to give Rachel a small hug. “Chloe has been so worried about you.”

“I know. I should have got in touch sooner,” Rachel offered, looking sideways at Chloe who smiled weakly.

“I’ll explain,” Chloe whispered to Max as she unloaded their bags. “We don’t want to leave these outside so…”

“Rach and I will take them up to your room,” Max said, gently stroking Chloe’s lower back as they leaned on the tailgate of the truck. “Are you okay?” she asked, concerned for Chloe. She hadn’t been saying much lately.

“Not looking forward to lying,” Chloe muttered. “Or step-fuck being all… asshole,” she added, looking into Max’s eyes. “What about you?”

“I’ll tell you inside,” she answered quietly, taking hers and Chloe’s bags and placing the straps over her shoulders.

While Chloe went into the living room with Joyce, Rachel and Max took their bags upstairs to Chloe’s old bedroom, which hadn’t changed at all since they’d left a few days ago. They dropped the bags by the TV before Rachel kicked off her shoes and stepped on the bed, walking across the mattress until she reached the wall, where she carefully sat down with her back against it.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give evidence?” Max asked as she also kicked off her shoes.

“Positive,” the girl answered, crossing her legs and placing her arms on her knees. “For me… it’s seven months ago. It’s the past, and I want to move on with you and Chloe”

Max nodded as she stepped onto the bed before sitting down in front of Rachel, crossing her own legs in a similar fashion. They looked at each for a moment as Max chewed over what she wanted to say, trying to find the right words to convey her thoughts.

“I don’t want you to regret it,” she finally managed to say.

“I won’t.” Rachel smiled, her eyes staring at Max with a deep intensity she recognised from months ago. “When I’ve made up my mind… I don’t change it,” she said, her smile turning into a smirk.

There was more she wanted to say to Rachel, questions and theories in her head about Jefferson and the two men they’d seen at the motel. Focusing on her tattoo, she thought of that night almost three weeks ago, watching the men drive into town. Then it clicked, a piece of the puzzle she had missed.

“Do you remember those two guys?” she asked.

“The men in suits at the motel?” Rachel sighed, clearly not as interested in unravelling the mystery.

“Yeah… they were there the night of the Vortex party when Victoria was taken… when I was…” she started to say when Rachel took hold of her hands.

“You need to let it go,” the blonde girl whispered. “I know you like to have answers to this shit but… it’s not our problem now.”

“Rach…” she started to protest when Rachel leaned forward and placed a hand on Max’s neck.

“If we keep living in the past, we won’t get a future. For fuck's sake, Max… I want a future, I want to enjoy the life you’ve given me,” Rachel argued, a fire behind her hazel eyes. “I don’t want to go over it. I want to fucking live.”

They stared at each other, a battle of will as Max wanted to understand while Rachel wanted to let it go. Rachel’s fingers tickled the back of her neck, teasing her senses as she tried to remain focused.

“Tell me what you want,” Rachel whispered softly, a small smirk on her lips.

The question confused Max for a moment, the sudden change of topic. She wasn’t sure how to answer it, what she wanted most right then or what she wanted most overall. After seven months of only wanting to reach Chloe, and then being caught up in trying to make up for her failures as a girlfriend, she’d had no time to consider the question.

“Don’t think about it so much,” Rachel purred, her other hand going to Max’s side beneath the button up shirt. “Just… say it from the heart.”

“From the heart…” Max repeated, glancing from Rachel’s eyes to her lips.

The smirk on Rachel’s lips only got wider as she leaned in to kiss Max, applying enough pressure to entice her to want more. She placed her hands on Rachel’s shoulders, digging her fingers in as the sensations teased her, making her want more. She couldn’t explain where it was coming from, the ability to switch from something so serious to something so passionate. Rachel moved her hand from Max’s neck to her other side and pulled her slowly towards her. Max uncrossed her legs to place them either side of Rachel’s, settling onto her lap without parting their kiss. All of Max’s worries were falling away from her as she enjoyed the taste of Rachel’s lips and the touch of her tongue. She was so very different from Chloe.

With a jolt, Max pulled away from the kiss, her hand quickly going to her mouth as she thought about the girl downstairs.

“We can’t… without Chloe,” she quickly said.

Rachel let out a gentle sigh but didn’t remove her hands from Max’s sides. “We’re all in this relationship… there’s going to be times where you two kiss and I won’t be there,” she said quietly, an almost pleading look in her hazel eyes.

“I just don’t want her coming in and getting jealous…” Max argued quietly, gently stroking Rachel’s cheek. “It’s still new to us all.”

“I know… but we have to be able to show each other affection too,”” Rachel quietly argued, pressing her forehead against Max’s. “If she walks in… we can stop, if it makes her feel uncomfortable.”

Max tried so hard to ignore Rachel’s argument, but the girl’s breath on her face was driving her insane. She bit her lip, torn between waiting for Chloe to come upstairs and asking for her permission or kissing the girl she was sitting on and showing her how much she meant to her.

“Max…” Rachel flicked her nose against Max’s, almost pressing their lips together once more. “If you can’t do this…”

She didn’t give the girl a chance to finish her sentence and kissed her firmly once more, moving her hand round into her long blonde hair. They bit and teased one another as their emotions ran hot, pulling on the others lip with their teeth as Max slowly moved her hand down from Rachel’s shoulder towards her breast.

They were so close to moving from just kissing when Rachel’s phone started ringing loudly and vibrating in her pocket against Max’s inner thigh. She tried not to giggle as she climbed off the girl so she could answer her phone, just as the bedroom door opened and Chloe walked in looking annoyed.

“I fucking hate that fucking asshole,” Chloe groaned, kicking the door shut behind her.

“Hey Kelly, everything okay?” Rachel said as she answered her phone.

“What happened?” Max asked Chloe, trying to sit comfortably beside Rachel as though nothing had just been happening. She had no idea why she was trying to cover it up.

“Step-fuck is a fucking shitty fuck,” Chloe ranted, sitting down on the chair next to the TV. “Saying we shouldn’t be coming back here.”

“No, we’re… we’re in Arcadia Bay at the moment. Chloe’s mom wasn’t feeling very well and we had to rush back.” Rachel continued, causing Chloe to glance at her with a look of confusion. “You’re kidding?” Rachel said, looking a little shocked.

“What’s happened?” Max asked, taking hold of Rachel’s free hand.

“One second Kelly, I’ll put you on speaker,” Rachel said as Chloe climbed off her chair to sit on the foot of the bed with them. “Okay, say hi.”

“Hi Max, hi Chloe,” Kelly said sounding really tired.

“Hey Kelly, what’s up?” Max asked as Rachel placed the phone on the bed.

“Jen’s… having a really bad time. This Jefferson shit… it’s really hit her. She went out last night and came back messed up… Brooke and I were hoping you guys might be able to look after her; we have to work and our bosses won’t give us time off. But Rach just said you’re in Arcadia Bay so… we’ll try to think of something. We’re just really worried about her,” Kelly explained.

“We’re hoping to be back tomorrow,” Max offered, looking between Rachel and Chloe who both nodded their heads in agreement. “As soon as we’re back we’ll come over, if you have space for three of us?”

“Always for you three,” Kelly answered, sounding a little happier. “We…” there was a slight shuffling on the phone before her voice returned, quieter than before. “We can’t lose her too. It was bad enough with Liz but…”

“It’s okay, Kelly,” Rachel said gently. “We understand really well,” she said, a knowing look in her eyes as she looked to Chloe and Max.

“I know… I have to go, I’ll see you all tomorrow! Have a good night,” Kelly said.

“Night, Kelly,” Rachel said for the three of them before placing her phone on the shelf beside the bed.

With the phone call over, Max slipped down the bed a little as Chloe crawled up to rest her head on her stomach. Rachel slid down and rolled onto her side towards them, placing a hand on Chloe’s cheek as she rest her head on the other hand, propping her up to look at Max.

“There’s always something going on,” Max muttered, stroking the back of Chloe’s blue hair.

“We need to make the most of the time we get together then,” Rachel smirked, running her finger over Chloe’s jawline.

“Like making out when I’m not in the room?” Chloe asked, looking up at Max with a twinkle in her blue eyes.

“How did you…” Max said, feeling alarmed and ashamed.

“You just told her, idiot,” Rachel said as both of them broke out into laughter.

“I kind of guessed,” Chloe shrugged. “Come on, Max, I know you,” she added before kissing Max’s stomach. “I know when you’re embarrassed.”

“I still just feel a little weird doing it behind your back…” Max explained, looking to Rachel who was smiling at her sweetly.

“The point of this… triad… is that right?” Chloe said, looking at Rachel who nodded. “Is for you two to be able to do that.”

“See? She’s caught on quicker than you.” Rachel smirked, flicking Chloe’s chin before placing her hand on Max’s side.

“I guess.” Max nodded, still a little unsure despite her original confidence in the idea.


	26. A Moment of Calm

The sun was barely inching through the window when Rachel rolled over into Max’s warm body, pressing herself against the half dressed girl she’d slept alongside on Chloe’s bed. It was barely wide enough for the three of them, but somehow they’d all managed to sleep on the one mattress even if it was a little cramped. Max had been sandwiched between Rachel and Chloe during the playful battle to pick sides, with Chloe managing to retain her normal place near the shelves. Rachel was the closest to the stars and stripes flag hung like a curtain, but it was the side she was used to when sleeping in this bed. 

Stretching her right arm, she carefully lay it across Max’s stomach and sleepily kissed the girl’s cheek, expecting her to roll towards Chloe and give her more space. It was a pleasant surprise when Max rolled towards her instead and placed her arm around Rachel. Opening her eyes slowly, she noticed Max was looking at her with her pretty eyes.

“Chloe’s still asleep,” Max whispered, resting her head on Rachel’s pillow.

“We should let her sleep a little longer,” Rachel responded just as quietly. “Shall we see if Joyce is making breakfast?”

“I like your thinking,” the girl smirked, though neither of them moved to get out of bed.

Instead, they lay there together watching the other. Rachel was appreciating the simple beauty Max possessed, torn between getting out of bed and getting something to eat, or staying with Max and enjoying some time together.

Finally deciding what to do, she planted a quick kiss on Max’s lips and got out of bed, snatching up discarded clothes from the floor as she walked over in just the underwear and vest top she’d slept in. Max was close behind as they collected a change of clothes, then Max noticed which shirt Rachel had worn the previous day.

“That’s the shirt Chloe bought me for the memorial,” she whispered quietly without accusation. “Did it fit?”

“Brilliantly,” she replied, admiring the blue butterflies on the shoulders one more time before putting it in Max’s bag. “Looks like we’ve both worn each other’s clothes now,” she teased playfully.

“We’ve been doing that for months,” Max responded with a grin as she pulled on a pair of the black ripped jeans they owned.

“Well, you do look damn hot in my clothes, Max.” She pulled on a pair of blue jeans with rips in the knees. “Hot out of them too,” she added playfully.

“Are you always horny?” the brunette girl asked as she discarded the vest top she’d slept in and replaced it with one of the white shirts they’d put on top of their bags. “Or only with me?”

With a small shrug, Rachel winked, removed her own vest top, and pulled on the other shirt. “Every time you and I start making out, something happens and you stop.”

“I couldn’t help passing out in the shower,” Max quickly retorted as she pulled on the black button-up shirt.

“And last night?” Rachel asked, taking the red plaid shirt. “I could have been naked and you’d have stopped.”

“That’s not fair, you got a call,” Max argued as she sat on the bed carefully to put on her socks and shoes.

“You’d stopped before that call,” Rachel grinned as she sat on the chair by the TV. “I’d dare you to take me into the bathroom right now so we could lock the door, but you wouldn’t do it.”

“Ask Chloe what happened the last time she dared me to do something,” Max smirked happily. “And… do you really want our first time to be in a bathroom?”

For a moment Rachel was taken aback by the question. She’d never really stopped to consider that it would be their first time together, something she wanted to be special and sensual, not just a quick touch in a bathroom. 

“No… I don’t,” she answered as she pulled on her shoes. “I want it to be… special,” she smirked as Max stood up and walked over to her.

“Chloe wanted the same thing,” Max said, putting out her hands to help Rachel up, “maybe… I’d like something different?”

Accepting the help, Rachel got to her feet before placing her hands on Max’s hips, looking into her captivating blue eyes. “What would you like?” she asked curiously.

“I don’t… really have much experience like that,” Max answered, stroking Rachel’s wayward hair behind her ear. “Maybe I… just want our emotions to take us there,” she was staring back into Rachel’s eyes, gradually moving closer.

“So… passion of the moment?” Rachel smirked, tilting her head ever so slightly.

“Mhm…” Max murmured as their lips touched just as Chloe grunted and ruined their moment.

“Fuck’s sake…” Rachel growled quietly, glancing past Max at Chloe’s still sleeping form.

“Maybe later,” Max said, flicking her nose against Rachel’s. “Let’s see what Joyce is cooking instead.”

Leaving Chloe to sleep for a little longer, they left the bedroom and went downstairs to the smell of Joyce’s cooking, something Rachel could say she had most certainly missed. Chloe’s mom was in the kitchen with the small TV on as she cooked, humming a gentle tune before noticing the two girls which made her jump.

“You two look so similar in those clothes it’s frightening,” Joyce said with a kind smile.

“Morning, Joyce,” Max said giving the woman a small hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t say much last night, it had been a long day.”

“It’s quite alright, Max, I’m sure finding Rachel alive and well came as quite a shock,” the woman said, glancing at Rachel.

“I’m sorry I had you all worried,” Rachel said, leaning against the doorframe as Max backed away from Joyce. “I’m really glad Chloe came to get me though.”

“She told me all about it, you don’t have to explain,” Joyce nodded, turning to tend to the bacon. “So Chloe has both of the important girls in her life… at least things are looking up for her.”

“And she’s stuck with us,” Rachel quickly said, glancing past Max into the dining area for David.

“Is she still asleep?” 

“Yeah, we have a long drive ahead of us,” Max answered, cheekily sneaking some bacon off a plate and passing some to Rachel with a smirk.

“Food will be ready soon if one of you would kindly go and wake her up,” Joyce smiled, looking between the two of them.

“I’ll do it,” Rachel grinned, winking to Max and giving a small playful wave as she turned back into the hallway and proceeded up the stairs two at a time.

Quietly, she opened the bedroom door and peeked inside at Chloe. The blue-haired girl was lying on her back with an arm stretched across the bed and her bare leg bent with her knee in the air. Slowly Rachel entered the room, her tongue between her teeth as she closed the door as quietly as possible. She crept across the floor to the foot of the bed where she knelt down and crawled up alongside Chloe, finally stopping and sliding a leg between Chloe’s. Brushing Chloe’s blue hair out of her eyes, she kissed the girl she had only shared a single kiss with since reuniting. 

Chloe’s response was slow but evident as one of her hands touched Rachel’s side and her mouth opened to accept Rachel’s teasing tongue. It was a wonderful moment for Rachel as she felt Chloe’s other hand on her neck before she moved it into her hair. Chloe seemed to realise it wasn’t Max she was kissing when they stopped and looked into each other’s eyes.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Rachel purred, resting her ass on Chloe’s thigh.

“That was a surprise,” Chloe breathed as a smile broke across her face.

“Good or bad?” she smirked with a raised eyebrow.

“Very good,” the girl answered, pulling Rachel back into another passionate kiss.

She knew she was only supposed to be waking Chloe up for breakfast, but once they started kissing it was difficult for her to stop. They’d spent that one glorious night together and then she’d lost her for seven months. She wanted more, she wanted to experience Chloe’s love again and was intent on getting her way. Slowly she moved her hands up Chloe’s sides under her shirt, catching the hem of the material with her thumbs. As her fingertips teasingly moved along Chloe’s skin, her thumbs worked the shirt up, stopping just below her breasts.

“Why stop?” Chloe whimpered as Rachel withdrew from their kiss.

“I was only supposed to wake you up,” Rachel whispered teasingly. “Any minute Max could walk in, or your mom.”

“So… it’s not the morning after we…” Chloe frowned as she looked past Rachel towards the door.

“Were you dreaming?” Rachel asked gently, sitting up to look down at Chloe’s exposed midriff and admiring the belly button piercing.

“Yeah.” The girl nodding and running her hands through her blue hair. “That night…” She grinned, looking up at Rachel.

“We’ll have a repeat soon… maybe corrupt our Max,” Rachel smirked, gently scratching her nails over Chloe’s stomach. 

“Our Max…” Chloe repeated, catching Rachel’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “I… like that.”

“Well she’s downstairs, waiting for us, so get your ass out of bed.” Rachel laughed, leaning down and kissing the back of Chloe’s hand before climbing off her.

* * *

 

After a rushed breakfast and being fussed over by Chloe’s mom, the three of them loaded up the truck and set off back towards San Francisco with Chloe at the wheel. The atmosphere in the vehicle was very different from the previous journey, especially with their new relationship that wasn’t just about Max and Chloe, but Rachel as well.

As she leaned against the truck door with Max wrapped in her arms, she couldn’t help but smile at Chloe’s laugh and Max’s quickening responses to being teased. She didn’t know where it was coming from, but there was a sense of calm in her that she’d never felt before. There was nothing to run away from, nothing holding her back, because somehow she knew no matter where she went, the two girls would be beside her. Max was her photographer, who she had spent hours taking pictures of her in San Francisco after she’d conquered her fears. Chloe was her angel, the most loyal companion in the whole world who hadn’t faltered in six months of searching.

“You okay?” Max asked, her head tilted back to look up at her.

“Just thinking,” she answered, gently stroking Max’s cheek.

“Well, don’t leave us hanging! Whatcha thinkin’?” Chloe grinned, leaning against the driver door just like she always did when relaxed behind the wheel.

“About you two, our future,” she said, resting her arm over Max’s shoulder to hold the girl’s hand. “I want… a nice big house in the hills, with a swimming pool and a jacuzzi. I want one big bedroom for the three of us!” she laughed.

“And how are we going to pay for that?” Chloe asked with a small giggle. “Fuck, we haven’t even left the one-room apartment you two have been sharing, while I’ve been bored off my ass in Fuckadia Bay.”

“Well, I said I wouldn’t cheat once we got you back,” Max said as she leaned down to grab her bag from the footwell.

“Not even a little bit?” Rachel teased, meaning nothing by it as she watched Max take her camera out of the bag.

“Dad’s credit card,” Max answered, turning the camera around to aim the lens at the two of them. “Maybe if I talk to him… he’ll agree. Especially if I’m getting on with my photography.”

“Which we are,” Rachel smiled, looking out of the window to strike the best pose she could in such a small space.

The camera flashed and the polaroid whirred as the picture was printed out, which Max took and started flapping around out of habit. Rachel took the picture from her with a cheerful giggle and looked at the two of them together.

“How’s it look?” Chloe asked, glancing over at them.

“I think Max is a pro,” Rachel grinned as she passed the picture to Chloe over Max’s outstretched fingers.

“Hey, I wanna see!” Max protested, but Chloe snatched the picture to look at it.

“I’m keeping it,” the punk said, putting the photo on the dashboard. “My two gorgeous girlfriends.”

“Can I at least look at it?” the brunette girl complained, trying to sit up straight but held in place by Rachel’s grip.

“Later, when we stop for food,” Rachel answered, receiving a smirk from Chloe. 

As they left Portland behind, they continued to talk more about whether they should travel for a while or live in San Francisco. They also debated whether they should move to LA to give Rachel a better chance at the modelling career she hadn’t given up on. Max still wanted to continue her photography, which suited Rachel perfectly. Her own personal photographer would be incredible, even if she wasn’t well known and famous yet. Chloe couldn’t decide on what she wanted to do; they were just starting to get into the details of her talents when Max’s original phone and Chloe’s phone both went crazy with text messages and incoming calls.

“Shit,” Chloe groaned, struggling to take her phone out of her pocket while at the wheel.

“Why the fuck is Victoria calling me?” Max complained, hitting the decline button on her phone.

“Steph’s calling me,” Chloe said, tossing it to Max who caught it. “See what she wants?”

“What the fuck’s going on?” Rachel frowned, allowing Max to sit up as she hit the accept key.

“Hey Steph, it’s Max,” the brunette girl said as she answered the phone. “Slow… down… hang… lemme…” She let out a groan and pushed the speaker button on the phone.

“...is alive! I can’t fucking believe it, did you know? What’s going on?” Steph’s voice was louder and far more energetic than normal.

“From the beginning, Steph,” Chloe said as Max held the phone towards her.

“It’s just been on the news! Rachel Amber’s been found alive, the FBI just announced it, did you know?” Steph repeated, the happiness still in her voice.

Rachel signalled Max to hold the phone closer, a grin on her face. “Yes, Steph, they know… because I’m in the truck with them,” she announced.

“Oh my fucking God! Rachel! How are you? Where’ve you been? Are you okay?” Steph said, repeating the same questions Rachel’s dad had asked.

Max’s phone started ringing again, which she declined the call on for the second time. “I’m fine, thank you. When I heard the news about Jefferson… I called Chloe,” Rachel said, repeating the lie she didn’t want to tell.

“For fuck’s sake…” Max complained as her phone started ringing again.

“We are getting swamped with messages and calls, though…” Rachel said, taking the phone from Max.

“Of course you are! Rachel… you just came back from the dead for most people, everybody is going to be trying to get in touch with you,” Steph said calmly, the excitement had left her voice for the confident logic she was well known for.

“But why Max and Chloe?” Rachel asked as Max hit the decline button for the fourth time.

“Rachel, they were the ones who found the body. Everybody is going to want to make sure they know you’re safe too,” Steph explained, a hint of humour in her voice. “Their brief appearance at the memorial party didn’t exactly go unnoticed. People worried.”

“Well, kindly tell them to stop fucking bombing our phones!” Chloe shouted as another text alert went off on Max’s phone, followed by another incoming call.

“I’ll let some know, but you’re going to have to tell them yourselves.” Steph laughed.

“We’ll text you later, Steph,” Rachel sighed. “It looks like we’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

When she hung up the phone, Max took it back and dropped it beside her own on the truck’s seat, declining calls as it started ringing.

“We need to call Kelly or Brooke,” Max said, worry in her eyes. “If they’ve seen the news…”

“You’re right,” Rachel nodded, taking her own phone out of her pocket and dialling Kelly’s number.

It rang a few times before the girl finally answered. “Hey, Rach… bad time,” Kelly said, sounding out of breath.

“At work?” she hoped Kelly wasn’t watching the news. They didn’t want to have to explain four months of hiding and Max’s time travel abilities.

“Yeah, you getting back tonight?” Kelly asked quickly.

“We’re on our way… will you need us to stop in?”

“No, no. She should be okay tonight but… tomorrow? Please?” Kelly asked, almost pleading.

“You got it, I’ll text you when we’re back.”

“Thank you! You’re all awesome!”

“See you.” She hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket as Max declined another couple of calls. “No mention,” she shrugged, taking one of the phones from Max and declining yet another call.

“That would have been fun,” Chloe muttered, hitting the decline on a phone before Max could. “Hi, so… Max can travel through time and saved Rachel’s life,” she sniggered.

“They’d ask me to save Liz…” Max said, leaning into Rachel once more who happily accepted the contact.

“Could you?” Rachel asked, putting her arm around Max and holding her hand again, returning to their original relaxed position.

“We may never meet Jen, we may fall apart… there’s… so many changes to consider,” Max admitted, almost like she was considering it. “As much as I like Jen, and hate to see her hurting, I don’t want to risk losing you.”

“Then we’ll be there for her,” Rachel whispered, kissing the top of Max’s head.

After the phone calls started to die down, their day was a little more peaceful. Max sent a few texts to Kate and Victoria throughout the day to stop them from blowing up her phone again, which Rachel was happy to help with, sometimes trying to inject the word bitch into the messages to Victoria. Max would laugh and shake her head until Rachel stopped trying to grab the phone. It was all fun and games; even Chloe was laughing at how silly they were being.

They were almost into San Francisco when Rachel decided to try to tease Max. The brunette was leaning against her once more with Rachel’s left arm across her shoulder, holding each other’s left hands loosely. Rachel shifted slightly in the seat and placed her right hand on Max’s right leg, gently running her finger up and down her jeans.

Chloe glanced over at them, noticing what Rachel was doing pretty quickly, and gave her a cheeky grin and a nod. It was all the permission Rachel needed as she kissed the side of Max’s head.

“So… it’s our first night back, how about we get a hotel?” Chloe asked.

“But we have the apartment?” Max said, sounding a little curious.

“And that bed is nowhere near big enough for the three of us,” Chloe retorted. “After getting to sleep in the same bed last night… I’d like to get used to it.”

“So… one night in a hotel?” Max asked, placing her right hand on Rachel’s left leg.

“One night, and then we’ll either get a bigger bed for home or… just move,” Rachel added, giving Max’s leg a comforting squeeze.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” the blue-haired girl nodded, making Rachel grin.

“Alright… find us a hotel,” Max agreed.

It gave Rachel the excuse she was looking for. “Awesome!” she shouted, turning Max’s face towards her own and planting a kiss on her lips. 

It was slow at first, teasing Max out of her shell while Chloe was in the truck with them, aware of them kissing only inches away. The brunette girl seemed reluctant, not quite engaging with Rachel when she turned her head away. Instead, Rachel started kissing her neck, unaware of whatever exchange passed between Max and Chloe as she concentrated on trying to entice Max, to get her to relax into her emotions.

“You sure?” she heard Max say.

“She’s your girlfriend too,” Chloe responded with a laugh. “I won’t get jealous. I promise.”

Ending her assault of kisses on Max’s neck, Rachel leaned back, hoping this wasn’t already the end of their triad. It worried her that Max was so apprehensive, so uncertain after the times they had come so close. Max turned back to look at her, a twinkle in her eyes as the lights from passing vehicles reflected off her eyes. The brunette girl casually stroked some of Rachel’s blonde hair out of her face, her fingers caressing her skin.

“Max…” Rachel breathed. “If you’re going to regret it…” she smirked, hoping the memory would help Max make her decision.

“I don’t,” Max responded, pressing her lips to Rachel's firmly.

When they reached, the hotel they grabbed a couple of the bags from the truck and stored the rest on the seats. Once they were inside the lobby, Max quickly walked over to the front desk to pay for a room while Chloe pulled Rachel aside, a mad grin on both of their faces.

“Are you sure about this?” Chloe asked, taking hold of both of Rachel’s hands.

“I’m sure, Chloe,” she argued, pulling the punk girl a little closer to her. “I have never been as sure as when I wanted to leave Arcadia with you.”

“There’s no going back…” Chloe whispered.

“Exactly… so if you or Max don’t want this, I need to know now so I don’t ruin your relationship,” Rachel argued quietly, aware of what it would mean if either of them backed out. “But Chloe… I want to be with you both, I don’t want to let either of you go.”

“Everything okay?” Max asked as she returned, a gold keycard in her hand.

“How much did you spend?” Chloe asked, taking the keycard from Max.

“I got the only suite they had available at this time,” Max said with a small shrug. “It’s a penthouse suite…”

“Fucking hell…” Rachel gasped. “We need to check it out!” she said, grabbing Max’s hand and pulling the two of them towards the elevators.

They exited the elevator on the top floor, where Rachel snatched the key from Chloe and rushed along the corridor towards their door. When she opened it, she let out a small whistle as the extravagance of Max’s purchase was made known. Two white couches around a glass coffee table with a single chair, a dining table near the entrance. It was larger than their apartment, and she hadn’t seen the bedroom yet.

She heard Max explaining something to Chloe but paid no attention as she rushed into the bedroom to check it out. She almost fell over herself as she looked at the massive bed that could easily fit all three of them with space to spare. The room also had a chaise lounge under the bedroom window, which Rachel decided to drop her bag on as she looked out at the lit up city and the darkness of the bay.

“Hey Chloe!” she shouted, walking back towards the bed and sitting on the edge.

“Wassup?” Chloe asked, walking into the bedroom and dropping her bag by the wardrobe. 

“I forgot something in the truck… could you go and get it?” she asked, putting on a big smile.

“What did you forget?” Chloe sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe.

“My other bag has a fresh change of clothes,” she lied. “Please?”

“Yeah sure, give me a minute,” Chloe groaned, going back into the living room.

Rachel leaned back on the bed, a smirk on her lips as she heard the hotel room door open and close. 

“Maaaax…” she sang, taking her plaid shirt off.

“You’re not going to ask me to go too?” Max asked as she walked in without her bags. 

“I have a better idea…” she smirked playfully. “Want to surprise Chloe?”

* * *

 

Chloe grumbled quietly to herself all the way down to the parking lot. She knew she’d been sent out of the way for Rachel and Max to get some time together, especially after the way they’d been making out in the truck. Despite her promise, she had felt jealous listening to their smooching noises and more so when she noticed Rachel was groping Max through her shirt.

_ It’s still new… and I refuse to give either of them up. _ She told herself as she unlocked the truck and grabbed the bag Rachel had mentioned. 

Rather than returning straight away, she took a cigarette from her pack and lit up, trying to give the two girls as much time as possible to get their lust out of their systems. She sat on the seat of her truck and left the door open, thinking about all of the things that had happened over the last week. Rachel’s return, Max’s connection to her, returning to Arcadia Bay, and now they were all in a relationship together. She knew they would like each other, that they’d get along, but she’d never expected this.

There hadn’t been enough time to process everything. The only thing she could feel in her heart was a perpetual need to be with them both. She wanted to be with Max, but she didn’t want to let Rachel go. They had both saved her at moments in her life when she had needed them.

Dropping the stub on the ground, she stepped on it as she climbed out of her truck, grinding it into the floor with the heel of her boot. She locked the truck and checked she had the room keycard before heading back inside, hoping Max and Rachel were done doing whatever they wanted to do together. 

Opening the door to their room she tentatively stepped inside, waiting for a telling moan from the mouth of one of her girls. Hearing nothing, she closed the door behind her and peeked into the bedroom. The sight she saw made her mouth open slightly and the bag to fall from her hands.

Rachel was sat on the end of the bed with her hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing her blue ripped jeans and an open button shirt that almost failed to hide her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a shirt or a bra, but the smile on her face was a beautiful sight to behold. 

Behind her was Max, her bare knees visible either side of Rachel’s hips and her arms draped over the blonde girl’s shoulders. From the angle Chloe could see, she wasn’t sure if Max was naked from the waist down or just carefully posed as well.

“Holy… shit…” she whispered, looking at the two girls on the bed.

“You took your time,” Rachel smirked. “Take the beanie off,” she ordered.

Chloe followed the orders as they were given. First her beanie, which she threw onto her bag by the wardrobe, then her jacket and boots as Max smirked and kissed softly at Rachel’s neck, her fingers playing with the sides of Rachel’s shirt just above her breasts.

“You two planned this?” she asked, pulling off her socks before walking over to them.

“Uh-huh,” Max answered as her fingertips touched against Rachel’s skin.

“While you were downstairs,” Rachel explained. “Now… on your knees,” she commanded, and Chloe complied, kneeling on the floor as the blonde girl parted her legs to allow Chloe to move closer.

As Chloe closed the gap between them, Rachel placed one hand on her side and the other on her neck, pulling Chloe closer as Max watched. The blonde girl leaned forward and kissed Chloe sweetly as the punk girl placed her hand on Rachel’s side beneath her shirt, the other hand on Rachel’s arm as she tried to steady herself from the sudden surge of sensations. She could feel Rachel’s hand move up into her hair, pulling her as close as she could get between the girl’s legs, the kiss enticing her forwards until she felt the edge of the bed against her legs. 

Rachel broke their kiss with a smirk, sitting up and turning her face towards Max who leaned forward to engage the blonde in a kiss of their own as she teasingly moved Rachel’s shirt aside to expose her breasts to Chloe, who immediately understood the invitation. Moving her hand up Rachel’s side she started playing with her nipple as she planted soft kisses up her exposed stomach, gradually getting closer to her other nipple which she took into her mouth between her teeth.

The pressure of Rachel’s hand on the back of her head increased, holding her against her breast as the girl let out a soft moan into Max’s mouth. She felt the bed move and Rachel’s hands release her body. Opening her eyes, she looked up into the face of the blonde girl as Max removed her plaid shirt. Chloe moved back and began undoing Rachel’s jeans, lifting the girl’s ass off the bed to pull both the jeans and underwear off the girl in one move, tossing them across the room and out of the way. Max had leaned Rachel back into her arms, leaned over her to continue the kiss they had been sharing while Chloe enjoyed Rachel’s body. Taking a moment, she started to take off her vest top. When neither of the girls told her otherwise, she threw it clear across the room along with her bra. 

Max looked up at Chloe, a sparkle of lust in her blue eyes as she removed her own black button down shirt. She wasn’t wearing anything but her underwear beneath it and smirked at Chloe when she glanced over her body. Slowly, Chloe ran her hands up Rachel’s parted legs, enjoying her smooth skin as Max lowered her head to kiss Rachel once more, leaving Chloe with the pleasure of teasing the girl they were currently sharing. Kneeling back, Chloe started kissing from Rachel’s left knee up her inner thigh, aware of the girl’s faster breathing as she teased her way between Rachel’s legs.

* * *

 

She’d known it was coming. Chloe’s weighted kisses had heightened her senses, but she still couldn’t control the moan that escaped her lips, stopping her kiss with Max as she felt Chloe’s tongue. Placing her hand on the back of Chloe’s head, like she’d done so long ago in the dead of night, she held the girl between her legs as she worked her tongue and fingers.

When the sudden wave of ecstasy had passed, she re-engaged Max in the passionate kiss they had been sharing, teasing the girl’s tongue with her own and biting down gently on her bottom lip whenever Chloe’s wonderful tongue sent another wave of pleasure through her body. She was starting to yearn to pleasure Max, to finally take the last step with her and have an intimate experience together. Pushing Max off her with her free hand, she suddenly let out a louder groan, grateful that she didn’t need to try to hide it like the first time she and Chloe had sex. She reached behind her and tugged at Max’s underwear, who quickly understood and moved aside, allowing Rachel to lie back completely as her eyes rolled back and her climax slowly started to approach. She tightened her grip on Chloe’s hair, she grabbed her own breast and started playing with her nipple, teasing her own body towards the climax. She felt a mouth on her other nipple but didn’t open her eyes to check as the sensations washed over her body. Then she felt it, the moment her body tipped over the edge and the rolling sensations caused her to arch her back. She let out a satisfied moan and placed her hand on the back of Max’s head as the girl played with her nipple. Slowly, she released both of the girls from her grip as she felt her body pulsing, her desires to pleasure the two girls for her experience magnified.

Opening her eyes to check on Max, she saw the inexperienced girl was now kneeling on the bed beside her head, her body fully exposed as she glanced down at Rachel’s naked body on the bed with Chloe gently kissing the inside of her legs now that she’d orgasmed.

“Max’s turn.” She grinned at Chloe, who nodded happily.

Rachel pushed Max to lie back on the bed as Chloe crawled up the other side of her, kicking off her jeans which she probably undid at some point, as well as her underwear. The three girls were now naked together for the first time, and Rachel truly hoped it wouldn’t be the last. She kissed her way from Max’s ankles to her inner thigh as she heard Chloe and Max start to kiss. There was no jealousy in the moment; they would all have their turn, and then maybe another if they had the energy. It was about being intimate with one another, pleasing each other and giving them all an experience to take them forward together. Gradually she bit and kissed her way between Max’s legs and heard the impeccable moan the girl could issue as Rachel guided her tongue into the perfect place.

* * *

 

As Max lay in bed with the two beautiful girls on either side of her, she couldn’t help but replay the events of the night. After Rachel and Chloe had given her an intense orgasm, they’d switched again to pleasure Chloe who was definitely the loudest amongst the three of them. Though it could have been the fact after Max had gone down on her for the first time ever, she and Rachel had used their fingers to give Chloe a second orgasm. It was a memory etched into her mind. She could see the moment Chloe’s head pushed back into the pillow and felt the way her back arched as she groaned loudly, quickly turning her head and burying it in one of the pillows to silence herself. 

She was still thinking about the incredible night when she felt Rachel’s fingers moving up her leg under the covers and tilted her head to look into Rachel Amber’s hazel eyes.

“Hey you…” Rachel whispered, kissing Max’s exposed shoulder.

“Hi,” she whispered back, aware of Chloe already asleep beside them.

“Worth being persuaded?” the blonde girl asked as her fingertips played over Max’s stomach up to her breast.

“Definitely,” Max answered, tracing her own fingers up Rachel’s back.

“Max… I want this life,” Rachel admitted quietly. “I want to wake up in the morning with you and Chloe…”

Max looked at the sleeping blue haired girl, allowed a smile to cross her face and nodded. “So do I,” she admitted confidently.

“She was worth waiting for,” Rachel mumbled, placing her arm on Max’s stomach and resting her head on her chest. “I’m so glad I didn’t fuck that up.”

“I’m glad I didn’t fuck it up either…” Max agreed quietly. “I’m so happy to have you both.”

“Would you change it?” Rachel whispered, tilting her head back to look at Max’s face. “Would you ever use your powers to undo it?”

“No,” she admitted, once again looking at the tattoo on her left hand. Glad she had been given a chance to save Chloe and eventually save Rachel too. She didn’t know where she’d be in her life right now without them, but she didn’t want to find out either.


	27. It Can Only Get Better

When the alarm on her phone started wailing, she rolled over and tapped the snooze button, not wanting to leave the warm comfort of her bed. She’d just started to doze back off into her wonderful sleep when the alarm started making more noise, which this time she paid more attention. Hitting the dismiss option, she sat up in bed and looked over at the two other girls who were still asleep. Max was wrapped in Rachel’s arms, both facing Chloe with Max’s arm outstretched. It was a strange yet adorable scene which brought a satisfied smile to Chloe’s face. She wriggled out from under the covers and walked over to her bag for her toiletries, then went into the bathroom to follow her normal morning routine.

After grabbing her shower she returned to the bedroom, noticing how Max had rolled over to face towards Rachel. The blonde girl had a small smile on her face, something Chloe had noticed sometimes when she had woken up beside her throughout their years of friendship. Quietly, she dug through her bag for a change of clothes to start getting dressed, glancing occasionally at the two girls. She wondered if one of them was going to wake up soon so she could spend time with one of them. Comfortable with her attire for the day, she left the bedroom for the living room of the suite Max had paid for with her dad’s card. It was larger than the room in Portland, far bigger than the apartment Max and Rachel had in San Francisco. She couldn’t believe Max had been so frugal considering her powers giving her access to as much money as she wanted, but then Max was the good girl; she had high morals and Chloe respected and admired her for that.

Sitting down on one of the two couches, she picked up a book with the word ‘menu’ emblazoned across the front, opening it to look at the breakfast options. Unable to decide what to have, she called room service and asked for one of each item, hoping Max wouldn’t mind the increased cost on the card. With breakfast ordered, she paced around the room, feeling completely out of her depth with the luxury they were enjoying. They’d traded up while they were in Los Angeles, but they hadn’t gone this far. It was almost breathless being able to look out over the San Francisco bay.

There was a quiet knock on the door which she quickly answered, stepping back to allow a polite woman to carry in a couple of trays and place them on the dining table before giving a friendly smile and leaving. Chloe looked at the number of plates on the trays and let out a low whistle, wondering whether she should wake Max and Rachel before she started digging into the meal.

She’d just made the decision to go into the bedroom when Rachel came through the doorway wearing a white bathrobe, her blonde hair tied up in a quick ponytail to keep it out of her eyes.

“Morning…” Rachel yawned, stretching as she approached Chloe.

“Sleep well?” Chloe smirked as she sat down at the dining table, removing the plate covers to get at the toast.

“Mhm,” Rachel nodded as she kissed Chloe on the cheek before she sat down beside her. “Max is just waking up.”

“I was about to come and get you both.” She grabbed a knife and a small jar of jam for her toast. “But… I didn’t want to wake you.”

Rachel smirked and snatched the toast from Chloe playfully once she’d layered the jam on it. “Thank you,” she teased before taking a bite.

When Max sat down opposite Chloe she was also wearing one of the white bathrobes, her brown hair messy and unkempt. “Morning,” she said sleepily, removing plate covers to get at their meal.

“You should get a shower before we go,” Rachel said with a grin, taking one of the plates from the tray as well as a glass of orange juice.

“Are you saying I smell?” Max retorted with a smile that reached her eyes.

“Maybe a little,” Chloe teased, passing Max some of the toast.

“I blame the two of you…” the petite girl muttered before tucking into her meal.

“Worth it,” Rachel winked at Chloe.

After they’d eaten, Max took their advice and went into the bathroom for her shower while Rachel and Chloe sat on one of the couches in the living room together. They talked like they’d never been apart, laughing at their old jokes or stories. Rachel put her legs over Chloe’s lap as they talked, allowing her to appreciate the dragon tattoo she had designed so long ago.

“I still love this,” Chloe said, gently stroking Rachel’s leg.

“You should design more, you have a talent for it,” the girl responded, angling her leg so Chloe could see it better. “I bet you would make a hella awesome tattoo artist if you put your mind to it.”

“I don’t know… I still don’t know where I’d fit into your lives with that.” She shrugged, gently running her fingers over the tattoo as she recalled how much time she’d spent designing both of their tattoos while Rachel had been in school.

“Chloe… it’s our lives, all of us,” Rachel retorted gently. “If you want to do something, then we’ll find a way for you to do it. I’m sure Jen knows somebody, or Kelly. They’ll be more than happy to help you.”

“But you and Max…” she started to argue.

“Will be happily taking pictures for portfolios and trying to get jobs too,” Rachel said, interrupting her argument. “You can do whatever you want to do and we’ll support you.”

Chloe was about to argue further when Rachel’s phone started making a noise in the bedroom. The beautiful girl sat up quickly, placing a quick kiss on Chloe’s lips before rushing into the bedroom to answer the phone, leaving her alone in the living room once more. Checking the time on her own phone, she wondered if it would be one of their friends asking for them to keep an eye on Jen, something she didn’t quite understand.The dark-haired girl was a grown up; she could look after herself, so she didn’t quite understand why she needed babysitting.

“Hang on…” Rachel said, pressing the phone against her shoulder as she re-entered the living room. “They’re wondering when we can go over,” she explained quietly. “Would you prefer to drop me off at Jen’s and then you and Max can go home and sort out our stuff?”

“That sounds good, we’ll join you afterwards?” Chloe nodded, accepting the plan as a good one. It would give her some time with Max after all.

“Yep, okay…” Rachel smiled as she put her phone back to her ear. “That sounds good, Kelly. I just need to grab a shower and I’ll be over,” she said as she walked back into the bedroom.

Once Max was out of the shower, Rachel quickly had her own, wasting no time in getting cleaned up and dressed to look after their friend. They checked out of the hotel long before they needed to, with no extra charge to the room due to Max’s smart inclusion of a complimentary breakfast the night before. 

As Chloe pulled the truck up outside Jen’s home, Rachel was already giving Max a hug and kiss.

“I’ll see you both soon, okay?” Rachel said, leaning across Max to give Chloe a kiss.

“As soon as we’ve dropped off our things, we’ll walk over,” Max agreed before receiving another small peck on the lips. 

“Don’t take too long,” Rachel smirked, opening the door and climbing out.

“I’m keeping her to myself for a few hours!” Chloe argued quickly. “You’ve had her months, I’d like her for a bit!”

“Yeah yeah… see you soon,” Rachel laughed, rushing over to the front door and knocking loudly.

They kept a close eye on Rachel until she was inside safely, but Chloe’s gut was twisting at the idea of being apart from her again. Max appeared to notice her hesitation when she didn’t pull away from the house very quickly.

“What’s wrong?” the petite girl asked, her hand going to Chloe’s shoulder.

“Just a weird feeling,” Chloe explained, trying to brush it off as she carefully drove them down the streets towards their apartment.

“Tell me, is it because of last night?” Max sounded worried, almost afraid to ask the question.

“Oh fuck no. Last night was… incredible,” she answered, glancing at Max when she knew it was safe to. “You both… it was hella fucking awesome.”

“I enjoyed it too…” Max whispered, gently kissing Chloe’s shoulder. “So what’s bugging you?”

“Last time Rach and I slept together… all those months ago, she went missing the next day,” she explained, knowing just how stupid it sounded as she pulled up on the street near to the apartment. “Just… I couldn’t help thinking about it.”

“It’s okay,” Max said, turning Chloe’s head to face her now that the truck had stopped. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“Your powers may not last, Max,” Chloe said gently, remembering the last time Max had said it to her. “And for two weeks… you didn’t want to even use them.”

“I know… but while I have them, I won’t let anything bad happen to you, either of you,” Max retorted as she slid across the bench to lean against Chloe. “I love you, Chloe.”

“I love you too, Max.” Chloe smiled, so happy to hear Max say those words.

Together they unloaded the truck of all of their bags, including the things Rachel had wanted to bring with her from Arcadia Bay. It wasn’t much, but the little space they had in the apartment was soon filling up with clothes and sentimental items. As Chloe put a few things into one of the bedside drawers, she found the friendship bracelets Rachel had made for the two of them in a small box. The fact that they would risk being caught in the junkyard to save things of sentimental value showed Chloe just how much she meant to the two girls. 

Placing the box back in the drawer, she finished her task and sat on the bed to watch Max sort through their bags, putting dirty laundry in a pile on the floor and fresh clothes on the foot of the bed.

“How was it, really, living with Rach?” Chloe asked curiously, kicking off her boots and swinging her feet up onto the bed.

“Uhm…” Max pulled a strange face as she was thinking. “It was different, I kept wishing it were you to begin with… that we could have a life here but… after a while…” the small girl went silent.

“Spit it out, Caulfield, or I’ll tickle it out of you,” Chloe teased as she tried to get her girlfriend to open up.

“I started falling for her, Chloe… not my proudest moment,” Max whispered, a sad note in her voice.

“Don’t be sad about it,” she quickly argued, leaning over to pull Max onto the bed with her. “Look what’s happened because of it… last night,” she teased, stroking Max’s hair.

“Is this a bad time to mention that… when I think about that night I get… a little…” Max started to blush, which only made Chloe giggle.

“Holy shit, Max, are you getting turned on at the fucking thought?” she almost shouted, though she found Max’s admission really cute.

“Mhm… never happened before,” she whispered, lying on the bed with Chloe and kicking off her shoes.

“There’s a solution to that, you know…” Chloe whispered into her ear, hoping for a little one-on-one time with Max.

“We’re supposed to be heading over soon…” Max tried to argue, but unconvincingly.

“Okay… we better get going then,” she grinned, starting to sit up when Max pulled her by the neck into a sweet kiss.

* * *

 

Brooke had already left for work when Rachel arrived at their home, while Kelly was in the middle of her morning routine, rushing around the house to get ready. Jen was apparently still in bed, but when Rachel reached her bedroom, she found the girl sitting up reading a book quietly, her hair unkempt and without any of her subtle makeup on. 

“Hi,” she said, standing in the doorway, unsure whether she should enter.

“Hey, Rach.” Jen smiled, placing a bookmark on the page and putting the book down. “They roped you into the nanny squad huh?”

“Not here to nanny you,” Rachel argued, closing the door behind her and sitting beside Jen on her bed. “Here to be a friend.”

“I know… I’m sorry,” Jen muttered, leaning against Rachel as she put an arm around Jen. “It’s been a fucked up week.”

“It’ll get better,” Rachel said gently, trying to improve how her friend was feeling.

“So they keep telling me,” Jen sniggered quietly, pressing her cheek to Rachel’s shoulder. “Anyway, distract me… how are things going with you and your girls?”

“Well…” Rachel blushed as her night of passion with the two girls she loved jumped to the front of her mind. “We’re… together.”

“As in… triad? All three of you?” Jen asked incredulously.

“Mhm… don’t judge!” Rachel pleaded quickly.

“Not my place…” Jen smirked, her eyes lighting up ever so slightly. “It’s good news, I’m really happy for the three of you.”

“You weren’t hoping you and I…” she started to say before trailing off as Jen glanced at her.

“You’re beautiful, Rach, but…”

“Not Liz.” Rachel nodded, understanding completely. 

“Not just that… I mean…” Jen sighed softly and closed her eyes. “Could I have seen us together in the future? Yeah… maybe… probably… You’re the first girl who I slept with who I didn’t mind sticking around. But… this loss… I don’t want to feel it again.” 

Hearing Jen opening up so much gave Rachel an idea of how much she was burying and running from, something she was guilty of in her own way. She gave the girl a gentle squeeze and kissed her head, trying to comfort her.

“If it means anything… you won’t lose me, Jen. You’re one of my best friends,” she said gently.

“So…” Jen said, wiping her eyes on the bed cover trying to be subtle. “Tell me how it happened… who made the first move?”

“Oh, it’s going to be that kind of day?” Rachel laughed, unsure that she wanted to give away any details of her first time with Max and Chloe.

“Oh damn right, I need cheering up and hearing about three hot girls fucking is definitely going to be the highlight of it!” Jen smirked before breaking into a weak laugh.

Without giving away too many details, Rachel decided to tell Jen how Chloe had made the offer in Portland. She was careful not to tell Jen how complete it made her feel, concerned it would upset her friend in some way.

After Kelly had left for the day, Jen finally got out of bed to grab a shower and get dressed, apparently trying to put in some effort now that she was going to have guests. Rachel went back downstairs to see if there was anything she could do to ease the pressure on Brooke and Kelly, but the girls were pretty thorough with their chores. Instead, she sat down on the couch to wait for her friend, comfortable to daydream about where she and Max could go to get some awesome pictures. 

As Jen came down the stairs, she glanced over at the girl. She was fully dressed but her hair was still a little wet, something she didn’t seem to care about. The dark-haired girl was just about to sit down on the couch when there was a knock on the door.

“Probably Max and Chloe.” Rachel shrugged, wondering why it had taken them so long.

Jen begrudgingly went over to answer the front door, but Rachel could hear the conversation.

“Hello, we’re with the FBI. I’m Special Agent Carson this is Special Agent Monroe. We’re looking for Jennifer Kane,” a man said officially.

“I’m Jennifer Kane, what’s this about?” Jen answered as Rachel climbed off the couch to get to her side.

“It’s about Elizabeth Payne, may we come in?” a woman said, sounding a little empathetic.

Jen stepped back to allow the agents to enter, a look of worry on her pretty face that made Rachel want to hug her. After she closed the door, Jen sat down on the couch with Rachel, who was calmly looking between the two agents who had sat in the armchairs.

“This is my friend Rach,” Jen said quickly. “I’d prefer it if she could stay.”

“That’s fine, Miss Kane,” the woman nodded gently. “Miss Payne‘s parents gave us this address and your name for our enquiries.”

“How can I help?” Jen asked, her voice laced with sadness and confusion. Rachel quickly took hold of her hand, knowing how important that touch could be, especially after her own interview with the FBI.

“This is probably going to be hard to hear…” Agent Monroe sighed. “You’re aware of the Arcadia Bay art teacher who was abducting girls?”

“Very aware,” Rachel answered for her, feeling Jen’s grip tighten.

“He gave up the location of where he kept folders of pictures he had taken, and it’s taken some time to track down all of the victims and in some cases... their families. I’m sorry to tell you but we identified Miss Payne in some of these images.” Monroe continued gently, her partner remaining quiet.

“Oh… fuck…” Jen whispered, a frown creasing her brow.

“Did she ever remember anything? Ever tell you?” Carson asked softly.

“Do you have to do this now? You’ve only just told her,” Rachel quickly interjected, annoyed with how little sympathy the two agents were showing.

“It’s… okay, Rach,” Jen said, squeezing Rachel’s hand once more and trying to force a smile.

“You don’t need to go through this right now,” Rachel argued gently.

“It’s fine…” Jen whispered, trying to put on the brave face Rachel had seen before. “I don’t remember much… we went out partying to celebrate. I drank a little too much and when I woke up… it was morning and she was out of it on the couch,” the girl explained with a small shrug. “She’d wake up sweating sometimes, saying she could remember flashes and clicks but she couldn’t understand the nightmares. Then one day… she killed herself. In the bath.”

“Her parents informed us,” Carson nodded.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Kane,” Monroe said softly. “There’s nothing else?”

“No… nothing,” Jen said sadly. “Had I fucking known what that piece of shit had done to her…” she started to say, only to leave her threat hanging as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Okay…” Monroe sighed. “Thank you both for your time. We’re really sorry we had to ask you these questions.”

“Why did they send two agents for this?” Rachel asked.

“The lead agent didn’t specify. They needed us to confirm it was Miss Payne in the photographs and her parents told us to ask you for more information,” Carson explained as he stood up.

“There are really photos of her… drugged?” Jen said, a look of terror on her face. “Just… out of it, not knowing what the fuck was happening to her?”

“I’m afraid so… I’m terribly sorry,” Monroe said again as she stood up.

When Rachel had seen the two agents from the house, she turned back to see Jen crying into her hands. Instinctively she sat beside her friend and put her arms around her, trying to comfort her through the worst of it, knowing how it felt to be the girl in the photographs.

“She’d never hurt a fly, Rach…” Jen whimpered through the tears. “She didn’t deserve that…”

“I know, Jen…” she tried to sound comforting.

“No, Rach, you don’t know. You didn’t know her, you’ve never met her… you’ve never been where she was,” the dark haired girl raved, hurting Rachel far more than she probably intended. “I’m sick of everybody saying they understand, or they know…” she continued, pulling herself away from Rachel’s arms. “None of you do… you’ll never understand what she went through, what I’ve been through!”

Jen swiftly got off the couch as Rachel reached out to hold her hand, wanting to comfort the girl who had looked after her. But she pulled away and went upstairs, wiping tears from her eyes as she went and leaving Rachel alone in the living room. She ran a hand through her long hair, trying to decide what to do, whether she should call Max or Kelly. After everything Jen had done for them, she had no idea what she could do for her without revealing her own torments of the dark room and having to explain how she was saved.

Remaining on the couch, she tried to give Jen as much time as she needed to calm down before trying to speak to her again. She sent a couple of texts to Max asking where they were, and another to Kelly informing her of what had happened. The response from Kelly was quicker, despite her being at work, but she couldn’t get any time off and merely suggested keeping an eye on Jen. She heard nothing back from Max for almost an hour, leaving her to wonder just what her two girlfriends were getting up to without her. The thought of them spending time together without her made her a little jealous; she wanted time with them as well, but she tried to put it to the back of her mind as something that was going to happen. 

Quietly, she went upstairs to check on Jen, knocking on the open bedroom door as she entered. The tormented girl was lying on her side with her back to the door, but there were only the two of them in the house, so she knew it was Rachel without rolling over.

“I’m sorry,” Jen whispered, the sincerity in her voice making Rachel smile.

“It’s fine,” she answered, sitting on the bed behind Jen. “No need to apologise.”

“You’re trying to be a friend and I threw it back in your face,” Jen muttered as she turned her head to look over her shoulder at Rachel.

With a smile, Rachel raked her fingers through Jen’s messy hair. “I know you didn’t mean it. At least… I hope you didn’t.”

Jen finally smiled a little bit at Rachel’s poor joke, but it was certainly a start. “You’re right… I didn’t,” she whispered, rolling over completely and resting her head on Rachel’s lap. “This okay? You’re not going to get weird on me now that you have two girlfriends?”

“Oh, they might get a little jealous… though I haven’t heard from them yet…” she replied, thinking of her unanswered texts.

“Don’t lose them, Rach. Don’t even think about doing anything to lose them…” Jen said gently. “They love you.”

“I love them, too,” Rachel whispered as she gently stroked Jen’s hair. 

* * *

 

Rolling onto her side, Max woke up against Chloe’s warm naked body and smiled happily. She didn’t know when it had happened, when her sexual appetite had become so active, but she liked it. The touch of Chloe’s fingers, the feel of her lips, even the memories made her want more.

_ When did it happen?  _ She wondered as she watched Chloe sleep.

Brushing her fingertips across Chloe’s cheek to her neck, she gently stroked up and down trying to wake her in the cutest way she could currently think of. The blue-haired girl started to arch her neck towards the touch before her eyes opened, the blue irises staring into Max’s.

“Tease…” Chloe mouthed, catching Max’s hand to stop her.

“I wanted to wake you nicely…” Max smirked, leaning in to kiss her girlfriend sweetly. 

Chloe returned the kiss and pulled Max on top of her with a muffled giggle. They remained locked in each other’s embrace, enjoying their time together in one of the few ways they had available right then. As they broke their kiss, Max couldn’t help but wonder how different things would have been if she’d never left Arcadia Bay, if she and Chloe would have discovered their feelings sooner and had more time as a couple, even being each other’s firsts.

“What’s up?” Chloe asked, placing a hand lovingly on Max’s hip. “You have that look again.”

“Which look?” Max responded, staring down at her girlfriend.

“The one where you’re thinking too hard. Your eyebrows come together and you frown a little,” Chloe teased, poking Max’s nose. “It’s kinda cute.”

“I was just… wondering how different it might be… if I’d never left. If you and I…” she said, gently tracing Chloe’s collarbone with a finger. 

“Does it upset you that you weren’t my first?” Chloe asked.

“No. No, not at all!” she quickly responded, shaking her head. “I was just wondering how much more time we’d have had together, how different it would be.”

“Well… we probably wouldn’t have Rachel in our lives,” the punk girl said, stroking Max’s cheek. “Would you trade her for another chance?”

“Fuck no,” Max quickly responded, thinking of the girl they hadn’t heard from since they’d dropped her off at Jen’s. “I know what you and I have is special… it’s so much more than normal… whatever normal is… but…”

“But…” Chloe smirked, dragging out the word to make fun of Max.

“I can’t see our futures without her. She’s hella awesome and… I can’t wait to go to Seattle for Christmas so I can show you both off,” she chuckled. “I’ll have my whole family around me… and the two girls I love the most.”

“So we’re definitely going back for Christmas?”

“If you and Rachel want to?” Max said shyly, wondering if she was asking too much.

“I know I do!” Chloe grinned, her gentle touches on Max’s skin sending all the right signals to her body. “It’s your family, Max, we’d never keep you from them.”

“Thank you.” She smiled kissing Chloe once more, grateful that she understood.

They were slowly getting back into the moment of passion, kissing and caressing the other’s body when Chloe’s phone started ringing, forcing them to stop as she answered it.

“Hey Rach, everything okay? We haven’t heard from yo… oh,” Chloe trailed off and started to laugh. “Yeah… hang on.”

Chloe placed the phone on her chest as Max gently sat up, her legs either side of Chloe’s, as the girl pressed the speaker key.

“Max Caulfield you dork! I’m still using the other cell number!” Rachel laughed down the phone.

“Oh, shit…” Max mumbled, leaning off the bed for the art bag that had been deposited on the floor beside it. She pulled out both of the phones and noticed how the one she’d bought for San Francisco was dead, while the other was low on battery. “Sorry!” she shouted as she got comfortable on Chloe once more.

“The curse of two phones…” Rachel whispered gently. “You had me worried…”

“I was starting to worry about you!” Max retorted, looking down at the phone and unable to stop herself from admiring Chloe’s body.

“We… had a visit from the feds.” Rachel sounded sad, even stressed. “Jen hasn’t taken it well, especially as… it confirmed her worst fears.”

“Liz was a victim?” Max asked, the moment with Chloe completely over as her own experiences rushed through her mind, quickly contained by her resolve to not let it bother her.

“Mhm. So when are you two going to stop fucking around and come over?” Rachel asked with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

“How did you know?” Chloe said, trying to act shocked as Max climbed off her girlfriend to start gathering up their clothes.

“Please… if I had four hours with one of you right now I would certainly be in bed too,” Rachel teased. “Fuck… after last night I’d take you both…”

“I’d agree to that,” Max said, taking herself completely by surprise. She covered her mouth quickly and stared at Chloe, who was laughing loudly at Max’s admission.

“Wow, Max… way to show us how you really feel,” Rachel teased, a jovial tone in her voice. “Maybe tonight then… if you’re both not too tired.”

“I don’t think this bed could take the abuse,” Chloe grumbled as she placed the phone on the bedside table.

“We’ll come up with something… anyway… get your sexy backsides over here!” Rachel quickly said. “I need to go, so hurry the fuck up!”

“See you soon!” Max said loudly as she pulled on her underwear.

After Chloe ended the call, they started getting dressed together, though Chloe wouldn’t stop teasing Max about how eager she was for another night with the two of them. It was something that constantly made the brunette girl blush and look away in embarrassment.

“Are you glad it happened?” Max decided to ask as Chloe finished pulling on her jacket.

“Max… you and her…” Chloe mumbled, glancing at Max’s clothing. “I never thought I could share either of you… it hurt to know you’d grown so close but… yes, I’m really fucking glad,” she finished, pulling Max into a comforting hug. “It’s still going to take some getting used to… I got a little jealous before I knew what you two were planning. But I trust you both… with my life.”

“It’s in safe hands,” Max grinned happily.

“Come on then… well, I was about to call you hippie but… that isn’t true anymore is it?” Chloe laughed, once again taking in Max’s new look.

“Punk princess?” Max sniggered, thinking of something Jen had said once.

“Fuck yeah! Let’s go keep Rach and Jen company!”

“Wait…” Max said, quickly taking her camera from the art bag. “Just in case… I… don’t want to lose last night, or today…” she said, pulling Chloe into an embrace as she aimed the camera at them.

“Did you have to do this a lot?” Chloe asked quietly before Max took the picture.

“I took a selfie every day… in case anything happened to her,” Max admitted quietly. “It became… a habit.”

When they finally left the apartment behind them, they wandered down the San Francisco streets towards Jen’s home, discussing the plans for the future again. Max finally decided to cheat at some point in the future so they could have a bigger apartment for the three of them; there was no use in trying to squeeze three of them into that one bed at night or somebody being missed out. It was a decision only she could make, but she didn’t want to put all of their spending on her dad’s credit card; they were going to need jobs and enough money to make that kind of start. For now, they had each other.

_ It can only get better.  _ Max thought happily to herself.


	28. Fallen Angel

It had been a little over a week since their last trip to Arcadia Bay; it was the second week of November, and the three girls had finally settled on their plan to remain in San Francisco for a while. As an investment for when they rented a larger apartment in the new year, they bought a small TV and DVD player, as well as a new bigger bed that they could all sleep in, along with new sheets and pillows. Chloe and Max had spent a couple of hours assembling their new bed after dismantling and getting rid of the old one. They knew they’d have to give the owner something for the bed, but their comfort came first, especially when it stopped them fighting over who got to sleep with whom. In hindsight, it was a stupid thing to fight over, but Chloe and Rachel had managed to disagree spectacularly over it, causing Max to get annoyed with both of them and sleep on the floor herself.

Max and Rachel had both started looking for work in their respective areas of interest. Chloe was still undecided, but Max didn’t mind; it meant she had her personal chauffeur and bodyguard like they’d always laughed about as kids. Time spent with both of her girls was the best thing about her days, making breakfast in the morning with Chloe or watching them both cook at night for her.

Jen came over a couple of times in the evening to play cards with them, even helping Chloe cook once to thank them for looking after her. Max managed to get a few pictures of the two at work as well as a number of herself with Rachel. A few of the photographs ended up tacked to their art wall as Rachel laughed at how silly they all looked. 

When Max and Chloe returned from the grocery store late the following evening, Rachel quickly helped them carry the things in and put them away, then turned towards them with a wide smile on her face.

“I know that look,” Chloe whispered playfully to Max.

“Yeah… it means she’s about to ask something,” Max retorted with a grin, knowing Rachel could hear them both.

“I want to go to LA,” Rachel announced, ignoring their teasing. “Because unlike you two, I never got to go.”

“We’re going to be going to Seattle in a month,” Max argued gently, opening a cupboard to take a cookie from her stash.

“I know… but if we don’t go before Seattle, I won’t get to go until the new year… and then we’re going to be busy getting a new place and new things and new jobs…” Rachel said, her pleading eyes locked on Max. “We’re not going to have time…”

“She has a point,” Chloe shrugged, then took a bite of Max’s cookie with a playful grin on her face.

“Cookie thief,” Max mumbled as she looked at Rachel, who was also staring straight back at her. 

She couldn’t escape Rachel’s gaze as she chewed on her cookie, walking across the small apartment space to sit at the table where they’d set up the TV for a movie night. Rachel had a point. They were still free to do as they wished, and Max knew any offers of jobs might come through to their phones even if they were out of town. With a small nod, she gave in to Rachel’s request, wanting to do something nice for her after all of the stress they’d endured.

“Fuck yes!” Rachel shouted, sitting on Max’s lap and giving her a quick peck on the lips. “You’re hella awesome.” She grinned.

“Better start making plans then.” Chloe nodded, also grinning as she walked past Rachel and flicked her ponytail. “Swanky and awesome, or is it best not to upset your dad?”

“We can get away with some swanky,” Max smirked, knowing they hadn’t spent as much on the credit card as her dad may have expected. She needed to be careful, but that was why all of their purchases in San Francisco had been through her gambling cheat.

“You sure?” Rachel asked, who hadn’t moved since sitting in Max’s lap, instead putting her arms around Max’s neck to stare at her. “We don’t need to live the high life while we’re there… I just wanna get to see the sights.”

“I want you to enjoy it,” Max explained, wrapping her arms around Rachel’s waist. “And Chloe and I…”

“We spent the Blackwell Disability Fund to get a really nice room…” Chloe said, putting their laptop beside them on the table, in front of the TV, with hotel searches already on the screen. “Spent some rough nights in some nasty motels so we could.”

“You’re both awesome.” Rachel smiled, moving an arm to pull Chloe into their embrace, who happily kissed them both on the cheek.

As the evening wore on, they moved to sit on their bed with their backs against the headboard. Chloe put Blade Runner on their TV, but she was the only one really watching it. Max and Rachel were looking at hotels for their stay and sights that the blonde girl wanted to visit, trying to make a plan as well as knowing how many nights they would need to stay. Chloe kept a possessive arm around Max’s shoulders, which allowed her to comfortably lean into Chloe as she talked to Rachel who had the laptop. It was a normal night for them, something which had been few and far between since Max’s powers had manifested so long ago. 

When Blade Runner was coming to its conclusion, Rachel typed a message in the search bar for Max to read, which made her grin and quickly nodded her head.

“Alright… we’re done for the night.” Rachel smirked, turning the laptop off, closing the lid and placing it on the floor on her side of the bed.

“Oh great, now that the movie’s ended,” Chloe grumbled. “It was supposed to be a movie night…”

“Chloe,” Rachel said, turning around and leaning close to Max who had been inhaling her perfume all night, now a little more as Rachel moved closer.

“What?” Chloe asked.

“Shut the fuck up,” Rachel giggled as she leaned past Max to kiss the punk. 

Max turned into Chloe as she was taken by surprise and kissed her shoulder; they were both going to drag her into bed for putting up with their scheming. Max felt Rachel’s hand on her shoulder and turned to look up at her as the blonde descended to kiss her too.

They were only minutes into the start of making out when Rachel’s phone started ringing and they all groaned in annoyance. Rachel quickly moved away to answer the phone, while Max turned back into her original position.

“Damn it…” Chloe mumbled, “I was enjoying that.”

A giggle escaped Max’s lips when she thought about how she had been enjoying it too.

“Hey Kelly, bad timing…” Rachel said as she answered the phone.

“You’ll get more in a minute…” Max whispered, taking hold of Chloe’s hand.

“You could just give me more now…” Chloe teased as she turned the DVD off with the remote.

“Shit… when?” Rachel asked, urgency in her voice that caused Max to frown at her. “Do you want us to… yes, we will… okay, stay in touch.” She hung up the phone, the worry evident on her face.

“What’s happened?” Max asked first.

“Jen’s missing,” Rachel said, climbing off the bed and already pulling on her shoes.

“Missing how?” Chloe asked, releasing Max and climbing off the bed. 

“They’re all at a party, I said we couldn’t go… Kelly says they’ve looked everywhere but they can’t find her and she’s not answering her phone,” Rachel explained as she grabbed Chloe’s black jacket and put it on.

“She might have picked somebody up… you know how outgoing she is,” Max argued quietly, not seeing a reason to worry.

“I also know she’ll answer her phone to let her friends know she’s safe… shit, when I left with her…” Rachel went quiet for a moment, looking at Max with something close to regret in her eyes. “She told them she was walking me home… she’s always kept them informed.”

“So what are we doing?” Max asked as she pulled on her shoes and a jacket.

“Selfie,” Chloe said, handing Max her camera. “Time and date it.”

“Okay,” Max nodded, taking a quick snap of herself and flipping the picture over to write on the back before she pocketed it carefully.

“We’re going to go to the party, see if we can help find her,” Rachel said, tidying up her hair as she walked across the apartment. “Max… we can’t let anything bad happen to her.”

“I know,” Max said, tying up her own lengthening hair.

Together the three of them left their apartment and raced down the street to Chloe’s truck. Rachel took out her phone and started sending texts to Kelly while Max kept trying to call Jen. Chloe drove them towards the party with the address in Presidio Heights from Rachel, who was keeping constant communication with Kelly.

Max could almost feel the tension in the car, the worry for their friend as they drew closer to the party. As soon as Chloe had pulled up, Rachel opened the passenger door and jumped out with Max close behind. They were met at the door by Kelly who was looking worse for wear, face lined with worry.

“Still no sign,” Kelly said as she hugged Max tightly. “Brooke’s still trying to call her but she’s not answering.”

“I’ve been trying as well,” Max said, looking at the large house they’d visited once before for a similar party. Her thoughts were confirmed when the girl called Kyla came rushing out of the house.

“I’ve looked everywhere, Kel...she isn’t here,” Kyla said with a gentle shrug.

“Is there anywhere she goes for… you know…” Rachel asked, causing Max to look at her.

“She wouldn’t?” Max said, but Kelly looked worried.

“She’s off the stuff, Rach, she hasn’t touched it in a year thanks to you two,” Kelly explained, but her look of concern didn’t change. If anything she seemed worse.

“What stuff?” Chloe asked as she finally caught up to them.

“There’s one guy she knows but… look, they won’t let you in unless you’re with somebody they know…” Kyla said, rocking back and forth on her feet. 

“I’ve been drinking, I can’t drive,” Kelly quickly added.

“They’ll let you in?” Rachel asked, sounding a little shocked.

“Mhm… I went with Jen, once… I regret going,” she quickly added.

“Just tell us where to go…” Max said. She was tired of arguing the point if Jen could be in such a state that she’d resort to drug use, especially after she had got past the anniversary without touching any.

Rachel took hold of Kelly’s hand and was already pulling her towards the truck. “Come on, we have to go,” she said, putting action to how Max was feeling.

“We only have space in the truck for three,” Chloe started to argue.

“I’ll sit on Rachel’s lap,” Max quickly said as Rachel pulled open the passenger door and started to push Kelly in.

“Tell Brooke what’s going on!” Kelly shouted to Kyla, who gave a quick thumbs up.

Rachel took hold of Max’s hand and helped her into the truck next. It was going to be a tight squeeze as Rachel climbed in after her and pulled her carefully onto her lap. They wrapped the safety belt around them both as Kelly shuffled up into the middle, allowing Chloe to finally get in.

“You two okay?” Chloe asked, looking around Kelly at Max and Rachel.

“I could get used to this,” Rachel quipped, trying to make light of the situation.

“I’ll give you directions…” Kelly said sadly as Chloe pulled away from the curb.

* * *

 

As the streets of San Francisco slipped by, Rachel couldn’t help but wonder how Jen had managed to get away from the party or this far away from it so quickly. She could have got a ride, but that meant she’d been planning to get away from Kelly and Brooke to begin with. It upset Rachel to think that her desire to spend the night with Max and Chloe had stopped them being there for Jen, to redirect her depression and sadness so she wouldn’t go looking for a high.

Tightening her grip around Max’s waist, she needed the comfort of the girl she had fallen in love with and hadn’t given up on because of Jen’s comforting words. Max lay a hand over her own and laced their fingers together, a grip that helped steady her worries and concerns as she nuzzled Max’s shoulder blade.

“This should be the place…” Kelly announced as they turned a corner down a well-lit street with impressive homes on either side.

“Drug dealing pays well…” Max muttered as they slowly pulled up outside one of the buildings.

“Tell that to Frank,” Rachel whispered in Max’s ear, causing the girl to giggle.

“Why didn’t we try calling? All drug dealers have cell phones,” Chloe said as she killed the engine and leaned forward to look at the house.

“Because… I don’t have the number,” Kelly sighed.

Max and Rachel released their safety belt and opened the door. Rachel helped the petite girl out of the truck first then followed her, moving aside to allow Kelly to follow. The pink and blonde haired girl went first before Chloe was out of the truck, marching up to the front door and knocking loudly.

A tall man opened the door, his dark hair neatly cut with a businessman attire. He looked to be in his thirties, similar to Frank or even Jefferson. Rachel would have sworn it was Jefferson if the man had a goatee and glasses.

“Yes?” the man said calmly as he looked between the three girls and Chloe walking towards the door.

“Hey…” Kelly said, trailing off as she clearly couldn’t remember his name. “I’m Kelly, a friend of Jen’s. We’re looking for her.”

“I remember you, not seen you around much,” the man said, leaning against the door frame. “Who are your friends?”

“Also friends of Jen,” Rachel answered quickly. “We want to make sure she’s okay.”

“She’s fine, a bit busy so… if you wanna stay with me and chat a bit?” he said, stepping back into the house to allow them to enter. 

Hesitantly Rachel entered first, keeping hold of Max’s hand behind her back, refusing to let the small girl go. The living room was a large open plan with the dining area, all lavish and expensive by the standards she had become used to with Max. Three couches formed a horseshoe shape in front of a wall-mounted TV hooked up to consoles and DVD players. Crime was certainly paying for these people.

“Drinks?” the man offered, indicating a small bureau with a collection of whiskey and spirits.

“Just here for Jen,” Kelly said, waving her hand in refusal. “We’re really worried about her.”

“Well, you know she’s here, you know she’s safe. Come on, take a load off… sit with me, have a few drinks,” he insisted, pouring a glass for each of them.

With some reluctance, they sat down on the couches with Max between Chloe and Rachel protectively. Kelly was wringing her hands nervously until the man gave her a glass, though she didn’t drink it.

“You saw me pour them, they’re not spiked,” he said as he handed out glasses. “We’re… not those kinds of people,” he smirked.

“Where’s Jen?” Rachel asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

“Otherwise engaged…” he shrugged. “I’m…”

“What do you mean otherwise engaged?” Kelly asked quickly, a concerned look in her eyes.

“She’s paying her debts,” the man said nonchalantly.

“Fucking asshole…” Kelly breathed, putting the glass down and getting up. “You know she… fuck…”

The man laughed as Kelly rushed from the room, followed closely by Max, Chloe and Rachel. Rachel had some idea what he meant, and it made her sick to the stomach to think Jen would do such a thing for a high. They reached the bottom of the stairs as a couple of men were straightening up their jeans, satisfied smirks on their ugly faces. Rachel resisted the urge to hit them then and there.

Running up the stairs, they followed Kelly into the master bedroom where they found clothing leading towards the bed where Jen was lying on her front naked. Kelly let out a small sob as she crouched down at the foot of the bed, gently stroking Jen’s hair out of her unfocused eyes.

“Jen… you… idiot,” Kelly muttered through sobs.

Chloe stood in the doorway, her arms crossed as Max circled around the bed. Rachel looked at the drug paraphernalia on the bedside table and on the floor near Jen, blaming herself for how far Jen had gone to escape from her demons once more. She wished she could change the past and looked at Max in the hopes the girl would offer, but Max had sat down on the floor with her back against a wardrobe, small tears running down her cheeks.

“Jen…” Kelly said, shaking the girl. “Jen!” she said a little louder.

Concern edged its way into Rachel’s mind, knowing the girl should be slightly more responsive. She dropped to her knees beside her, brushing the hair away from Jen’s neck and feeling for a pulse.

“No, no no…” she muttered, fear clutching at her chest.

With Kelly’s help, they rolled her onto her back where Rachel rest her head on Jen’s chest to listen for a heartbeat.

“Fuck!” Rachel yelled. She couldn’t hear it and started CPR, just as she’d been taught so long ago.

“We need some help up here!” Chloe shouted down the stairs.

There was a loud bang and some shouting as the three men thundered up the stairs and into the bedroom. The man who had answered the door was carrying a small medical kit while the other two men looked worried.

“Out of the way,” one of the men said, pushing Rachel and Kelly aside.

Rachel put her arms around Kelly to stop her from trying to go back to Jen’s side, listening to the girl sob as she watched the man with the medical kit take out a large needle and a black marker.

He knelt on the bed over Jen’s body and drew a small black dot on her chest, then lined up the needle and stabbed it into her chest, plunging the needle in and depressing the plunger. Climbing off her he watched, expecting some kind of response from her.

“Did you two fucking check her before you left?” he demanded.

“She was groaning,” one of the men shrugged.

“Fucking idiots…” the man growled. “Get her out of here!”

“Don’t fucking touch her!” Kelly shouted, pulling away from Rachel to try to fend the men off. “This is your fucking mistake, your fucking problem!”

“She’s dead, and I’m not going to risk my business because she’s fucking stupid enough to die!” the man retorted as one of his cohorts tried to restrain Kelly.

“Get off her!” Chloe shouted, pushing the man off Kelly.

Rachel jumped into the fray, trying to hold the two bigger men off their friend’s body. She felt an open hand connect with her face, stunning her momentarily as the men all tried to restrain one of them. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Max stand up and kick the man who held Chloe in the groin. He started to fall when Max kicked him again in the head, causing him to drop suddenly and bang his head on the floor.

“Enough!” one of the men shouted as he pushed Kelly away into Chloe. “She’s dead, there’s nothing you can fucking do about it!”

“You shouldn’t have been fucking raping her!” Kelly shouted back, slapping the man across the face.

“It wasn’t fucking rape!” the man retorted. “It’s how she offered to fucking pay because she had no money!”

“Fucking assholes, fucking… fuck you!” Rachel shouted, stamping down on the man’s foot who had her restrained. 

“Look… we’ll give you some time…” the first man said, helping their friend up from the floor. “But… there’s nothing we can do now, she’s dead. I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re fucking not!” Kelly yelled, kicking one of them in the shin.

“Jen was a good laugh,” he continued, pushing the two men from the room who had slept with Jen. “Just… take your time… come to terms with it.”

“And if we call the cops?” Rachel asked, folding her arms.

“Don’t be stupid… we know where Jen lived,” the man said, closing the door behind him as his left, his threat ringing in their ears.

“Jen…” Kelly whimpered as she sat on the bed, stroking the girl’s dark hair as her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

Taking off her black jacket, Rachel lay it respectfully over Jen’s body, the tears stinging her eyes as she looked at the girl who had saved her by being a friend she needed when she only had Max. 

Max had returned to sitting by the wardrobe with Chloe, tears streaming down the brunette’s face. She looked to be handling it worse than Rachel who was fighting back the tears, trying to stop the pain.

“Oh Jen… you fucking idiot,” Kelly whispered. “You could have talked to me, babe. After all these years you could have told me,” she said, the tears trickling down her cheeks.

“We should call the cops,” Chloe said, pulling Max into her as the girl cried. “Let these fuckers get punished.”

“Think this is their first death by OD?” Kelly muttered. “They’re not stupid.” 

The four of them sat as they cried over Jen’s fate, with Rachel holding Kelly tightly as they sat with their friend’s body. She couldn’t believe she’d never get to see Jen smile or laugh again, would never get to see her eyes light up as she told a joke or to see her amazing butterfly tattoo finished.

“You okay?” Rachel heard Chloe ask Max, causing her to look at her two girlfriends. Max gave a small shake of her head and nuzzled into Chloe’s shoulder.

“Chloe… look after Kelly a minute… please…” Rachel asked gently, knowing Chloe wouldn’t want to let go of Max.

As expected Chloe gave her an uncomfortable glare, but begrudgingly released Max. They swapped places, allowing Rachel to hold Max tightly. The brunette girl quickly wrapped her arms around Rachel, as tight as she’d even held her. 

“Max… I know what you said… I remember it all…” Rachel whispered. “But please… not like this, please… save her.”

Max leaned back and looked at her in horror for a moment, a fear behind her bloodshot eyes that spoke volumes. If it had been anybody else, Rachel doubted she would ever have asked so much of her. Without saying anything, Max took her emergency selfie out of her pocket, the one they had taken as soon as they knew Jen was missing.

“I wouldn’t ask… but…” Rachel started to plead. “I…”

“I know…” Max muttered, looking past Rachel at Jen’s body.

Rachel watched as Max looked down into the picture they had taken, her eyes focused on that moment.

“I love you, Max…” she whispered, hoping the girl understood just how much.

* * *

 

Max had never felt such pain during a photo jump, like needles stabbing through her brain as she returned to that moment in the past. It felt like her head was about to explode from the strain. All she could manage to do was take a deep breath as the apartment swam into focus.

“We’re going to go to the party, see if we can help find her,” Rachel said, tidying up her hair as she walked across the apartment. “Max… we can’t let anything bad happen to her.”

“Stop…” Max exhaled, feeling her limbs go weak as she sat back down on the bed.

“Max… are you okay?” Chloe said concern in her voice as she sat down beside her on the bed.

“I know where she is… and we need to hurry,” she explained quietly.

“You’ve just photo jumped… haven’t you?” Rachel asked, walking back to Max and kneeling down in front of her.

“Uh-huh… but it hurts… a lot,” she mumbled as another wave of pain passed through her head.

“Is this normal?” Chloe whispered as she wiped the blood from Max’s nose.

“No,” Max answered with a quick shake of her head that sent more pain through her mind.

“So what do we need to know?” the blonde girl asked quietly, taking hold of Max’s hands. “What went wrong?”

“Jen’s going to die if we don’t hurry,” Max said quickly. “Give me your phone.”

Rachel quickly handed over her phone. Max started typing in the street address and sent it to Kelly. Handing the phone back to Rachel, she felt the pull at the back of her mind that told her she was returning to the present soon.

“Now call the police, tell them you heard a girl screaming at that address and you think she’s being attacked,” Max ordered, the idea suddenly coming into her head. She should have prepared more before accepting Rachel’s request.

“Okay…” Rachel nodded, standing up to make the call as Chloe tightened her grip on Max.

“Max… you’re such a little hero,” Chloe teased, kissing her on the head.

“I’ll tell you everything soon,” she promised as the apartment started to fade away from her. “I love you both…” she quickly added.

Being torn back to the present was just as painful, like being pulled through a deep ocean as the pressing weight crushed in around her. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t see. Finally, a hospital waiting room started to form around her, but she felt drugged, weak, unable to move until finally she took a deep breath and her nose started to bleed once more.

“Holy shit…” Rachel said, quickly placing tissues to Max’s nose. “Max… are you okay?”

She could only look into Rachel’s hazel eyes, noticing the bloodshot and the tears that had stained her face. It wasn’t a good thing to see; she felt the fear crawl up her insides and started looking around for Chloe, comforted when she saw the blue haired girl kicking a vending machine.

“What happened…?” she asked groggily, holding the tissues to her nose.

“Max… they couldn’t save her…” Rachel whispered quietly, taking hold of her free hand. “They arrived to stop the attack but… she was already overdosing. Paramedics didn’t arrive in time, she… they… tried everything they could.”

“No…” Max muttered, looking around for Kelly or Brooke.

“Our Max returned?” Chloe whispered quietly as she sat back down beside Max.

“Yeah… but Jen…” Max said, looking at Chloe’s blue eyes and seeing a similar pain behind them.

“You did everything you could, Max… sometimes you can’t defy fate,” Chloe replied sadly, placing her own hand on top of Rachel’s.

“I’m trying again…” Max argued immediately, releasing their hands and reaching into her pocket for the photograph, but it wasn’t there.

“Look at you Max, you started bleeding when you arrived in the past last time,” Rachel retorted.

“Where’s the photo?” she demanded, looking between her two girls.

“Max…” Chloe started to protest.

“Give me the photograph, Chloe,” Max growled, determined not to let fate take somebody from them.

“Babe, you can’t save everybody,” Rachel argued quietly, annoying Max as it had been her idea.

“I can do it… just… give me the picture,” she demanded, glancing between the two girls who looked apprehensive.

“Max… the storm in Arcadia…” Chloe whispered, her tone of voice pulling at Max’s resolve.

“I can’t let her die… not like this Chloe, not after everything…” Max muttered as the tears started to blur her vision. “She was there for Rachel, she was there for me… I can’t… she deserves better.”

“What if you cause another storm?” Rachel argued, joining Chloe’s argument.

“That storm wasn’t just from the rewinds… or the photo jumps,” Max retorted, trying to put the pieces together for her argument. She wanted to explain, but the two of them wouldn’t remember it if she did. Instead, she let out a sigh. “Just… trust me?” she pleaded, looking at each of them in turn.

Rachel seemed reluctant when she reached into her jacket pocket and produced the picture they had taken earlier, the emergency photograph that had already been used once. She handed it to Max who instantly flipped it around to look at the image of herself, trying to focus on it once more.

“Max…” Rachel said, lowering the picture for a moment. “One more time…  if you can’t…”

“We can’t lose you too,” Chloe finished her sentence and Max noticed how they were holding hands. “Don’t kill yourself, because we need you.”

“One more time… I promise,” Max nodded, accepting the restriction they had put in place. 

Before they allowed her to go through with her plan, the three of them embraced in a group hug, with both Chloe and Rachel planting firm kisses on her cheeks at the same time. She felt their love for her and smiled at the connection they had formed, as strange and supernatural as it had been. 

When they finally let her go, she directed her attention to the photograph in her hand, the memory of that moment. She could feel the concern, hear the worry in Rachel’s voice. As she stared into that moment she formulated a plan, a way to save Jen’s life and keep her as far from danger as possible. As soon as she arrived at that moment she quickly tried to find her focus once more.

“We’re going to go to the party, see if we can help find her,” Rachel said for the third time, tidying up her hair as she walked across the apartment. “Max… we can’t let anything bad happen to her.”

“I know,” Max said as she carefully walked across the apartment to their art wall, her gait unsteady as the blood started to trickle from her nose and her vision began to blur.

“Max?” Chloe asked, confusion in her voice.

“What’s going on?” Rachel said, but Max didn’t look around.

Slumping into a chair by the wall, she reached up and plucked the one she wanted, hoping she would be able to do another photo jump without causing more harm to herself. Both of her girlfriends were rushing across the apartment to her, concern for her health etched on their beautiful faces.

“I… have to do a photo jump,” she announced as she turned the photograph to look at it.

“Is it that bad?” Chloe asked, dropping to her knees beside Max and reaching out for her arm.

“I have to…” Max responded, already trying to focus on that moment.

“Shit… Max… how many?” Rachel said, her hands on Max’s shoulders.

“I’ll explain when I get back…” she smiled weakly.


	29. The Time Between

The two chefs in the kitchen space were making an absolute mess of their job. Chloe would give Jen instructions and they’d end up messing it up further, causing both Rachel and Max to laugh at how silly they were being. There were no harsh words about whose fault it was, just more laughter as they got it wrong. It was actually great to see Chloe getting along with somebody besides Rachel or Max, able to cut loose a little bit more and enjoy the company of others.

“We should take a picture of them,” Rachel whispered to Max, who was sipping on her glass of wine.

Max gave a nod and pulled her camera from the art bag as Rachel watched her. They grinned at each other as the brunette girl lined up the camera to take a shot of Chloe and Jen. A flash, the whir, and they had a perfect picture of the two girls making a mess. Rachel laughed as Chloe glanced around and grinned happily, and Max took another shot.

“You’re not catching my best side!” Jen complained, turning around and putting an arm around Chloe’s waist. “Alright! Fire away!” She smiled happily as Max took more pictures.

As the two girls returned to making their evening meal, Rachel kept giggling at their foolishness as she pinned one of their pictures to the wall. The brunette girl looked at where she’d placed it before giving a satisfied nod. While Chloe and Jen were busy, Rachel reached across the table for Max’s hand, who put the camera down on the DVD player to hold Rachel’s.

She still couldn’t believe that it had been a week since they’d started their triad relationship, that she could show Max her affections without it being weird. The two of them hadn’t spent any time together alone, to explore the depths of the emotions they had felt for one another, but she knew in time they’d get a chance.

“Think you’ll ever dye your hair again?” she asked, having grown accustomed to the black haired Max.

“I’ve been thinking about it. But not the same. Maybe a blue highlight for Chloe… or blonde highlights for you both…” Max smirked as Rachel turned her left hand over and started tracing the spiral tattoo.

“Whatever you want… you’d look hella hot either way,” Rachel said, smiling into Max’s blue eyes.

“How about a picture together?” Max smiled, inclining her head to the camera. “We haven’t had one together in a while…”

“Oh, you like taking pictures of yourself now?” Rachel teased, knowing how Max hadn’t liked it at first.

“Only with you and Chloe,” Max replied with a small blush in her cheeks, so cute and endearing.

“Come here then,” Rachel smirked, releasing Max’s hand and pushing herself back from the table to make space for the girl on her lap.

Max grabbed her camera and moved from her seat to sit on Rachel’s lap. With a smile, Rachel wrapped her arms around Max’s waist and kissed her cheek.

“I’m never letting you go,” she whispered playfully.

“Please don’t,” Max teased back as she wiggled her ass to get comfortable.

Resting her chin on Max’s shoulder she smiled for the camera, happy things had finally been going so well for them all. The camera flashed and the photograph printed, but Max almost dropped her camera as she let out a deep breath.

“You okay?” she asked gently, taking the device from Max and putting it on the table along with the picture.

“My… nose is bleeding…” Max muttered, not quite sounding like herself. “I need to use the bathroom…”

As she helped Max stand up, she noticed how unsteady the girl seemed on her feet when only moments ago she was fine. There was no way the wine had affected her, as she’d barely had one glass. Worried about Max, she stood up and helped the girl into the bathroom, noticing the flow of blood from her nose and the bloodshot in her eyes.

Closing the door behind them, Rachel turned to look at Max who was leaning over the sink, allowing the blood to drip into the basin.

“Max…” Rachel said as she gently placed her hand on Max’s shoulder.

“I’ve had to photo jump…” Max mumbled, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the sink.

“How bad is it? What happened?” Rachel said, questions bursting into her mind so she could stop whatever danger had forced Max to use her powers from happening.

“Jen… she died,” Max whispered sadly, taking some tissue and pressing it to her nose at last.

“How can we stop it? What can we do?” she asked, determined not to let their best friend die, not if Max had come back to save her.

“I already tried once, but it was too late… and this time...” Max muttered, pressing her head against the mirror. “I was in a rush to try again and I’ve… done a double jump. I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t want to wait...”

“Max… the last time you did that…” Rachel said. She could remember the story all too well, the damage it had caused.

“Look… I don’t have much time, I have to save Jen…” Max said, a determination in her voice. “Tomorrow night, she’ll want to go out… but she’ll disappear. Don’t let her, take us to a hotel or something, take us out of San Francisco… just keep her safe, please?”

“Alright… I’ll think of something,” Rachel nodded, turning Max to face her and looking at the pain in her blue eyes. “How many have you done?” she asked, trying to understand the suffering Max was putting herself through.

“Three… so, please… make sure I don’t need to do another? They’re becoming more and more painful,” Max said, the sadness evident in her sweet voice.

Wiping some blood from Max’s lips, Rachel nodded before pressing her forehead to Max’s, unable to kiss her while she had the tissue to her nose. “You shouldn’t be going through this,” she whispered, afraid for her girlfriend’s well being.

“Don’t tell Jen… just Chloe. Make sure she knows what’s going on,” Max replied as she pulled away to remove the tissue. She turned to check in the mirror if it had stopped bleeding before dropping the tissue in the sink.

“Max… just…” Rachel started to say, the fear evident in her own voice. “Please don’t do another, no matter what happens. Chloe and I… we can’t lose you,” she managed to say.

Placing her hands on Max’s shoulders, she looked into the mirror to look at the eyes of the girl who had saved her life so long ago, who had stolen a piece of her heart. She felt Max’s shoulders sag as she let out a deep breath. She gripped the sink and looked into the mirror, her blue eyes locked on Rachel’s.

“I can’t let her die…” Max said, leaning back into Rachel’s body. “You… have no idea how it felt to see her like that.”

“And you have no idea how we will feel if we lost you…” Rachel retorted, moving her arms to wrap them around Max’s waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. “So no more… no matter what happens, we’ll brave it together. Okay?”

“Time to go…” Max said sadly.

“Should I tell other you?” Rachel asked gently, almost afraid of having to keep a secret from Max.

“Tell me everything. I’ll need to know,” Max replied, turning around in Rachel’s arms and quickly kissing her on the lips.

The kiss was the strangest they had shared; one minute Max had been completely invested in the intimacy, the next she had faltered. She pulled away and leaned against the sink, a look of fear in her eyes.

“I… blacked out…” Max muttered, looking around the bathroom and at the bloody tissues in the sink. “Oh… fuck…” she whispered sadly.

“It’s okay… I got the warning,” Rachel said cheerfully, trying to put her arms around Max.

“I’m a fucking… back up,” the girl sighed, slapping her hand on the edge of the sink. “I… fuck…” she muttered, staring at Rachel. “How long do I have?”

“You said tomorrow night Jen dies. We just have to keep her with us… but I’m guessing, one day?” Rachel answered, annoyed with herself for not getting a time to expect Max to return.

“Great…” the girl muttered, leaning against the sink. “Can I have a moment to clean up?” she asked quietly.

“Okay.” Rachel nodded, not sure how she should be treating this Max.

As she left the bathroom, she noticed Jen and Chloe were sat at the table with their drinks.

“Everything okay?” Chloe asked, turning slightly in her seat.

“Mhm, just a nosebleed. Too much excitement,” Rachel said, taking her glass of wine from the table and sitting on the foot of their bed. “Like a Vortex party,” she said, hoping Chloe would catch the subtle hint.

Chloe’s eyes seemed to widen at the hint, but she gave a nod. “I wouldn’t know, you never took me to one,” she said with a shrug. Whether she intended to or not, it reminded Rachel of how badly she had treated Chloe at times.

“Sounds like there’s a story there,” Jen grinned as she placed her beer bottle to her lips and took a swig.

“Rach used to go to parties, but she wouldn’t invite me…” Chloe explained, stretching out her legs.

“What Chloe didn’t mention was they were parties at a school that she got kicked out of, so I couldn’t invite her anyway,” Rachel retorted with a weak smirk.

“Good point,” Chloe chuckled, allowing Rachel to relax.

“Would you have gone if you could?” Jen asked, making Rachel grin. She already knew the answer.

“Fuck no… I just wanted to spend more time with Rach,” Chloe answered, looking directly at Rachel who allowed her grin to grow into a smile.

“True love right there…” Jen sniggered.

The bathroom door opened and Max walked out with no evidence of her nosebleed. She gave a brief smile to everybody as she picked up her glass of wine and sat down at the top of the bed, her back against the headboard as she sipped on her drink.

“Feel okay?” Chloe asked, looking past Rachel at Max.

“Yeah… just a little excitement. I’m starving now though,” Max answered, taking another sip of her wine.

“Food should be ready soon,” Jen nodded, looking over at the kitchen.

“So… before we eat, I’d like to ask you something,” Rachel said, looking at Jen as she spoke.

“I’m happy to join the three of you in bed…” Jen laughed, making Chloe blush and look away. Max also let out a small giggle at Jen’s joke.

“Th-that… wasn’t…” Rachel stuttered, unsure as to why she’d become embarrassed at Jen’s playfulness.

“I was only kidding… come on, don’t leave me in suspense,” Jen grinned, apparently satisfied that she could make Chloe and Rachel blush.

“Well I’ve been wanting to go to LA for a while, and I was hoping to ask these two tomorrow… but how about all four of us go? A little thank you for everything you’ve done for us?” Rachel said, aware of the small frown on Chloe’s face.

“It’ll be fun!” Max added loudly. “We can go for a couple of nights, go to the beach, see the sights! Get as wasted as we want…”

“Wow… well if you don’t think I’ll be intruding on your time together?” Jen asked with a small smile.

“Hell no! You’re totally welcome, but all four of us won’t fit in the truck,” Chloe added, giving Rachel a smile. Rachel had to admit, she loved to see Chloe’s smile.

“Well…” Jen gave a mischievous grin, one Rachel had seen so many times before. “I’ll… persuade Kelly to let me borrow her car.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Chloe laughed, pushing herself up to clink beer bottles with Jen.

As the three of them talked about the imminent trip to LA and the sights they would visit, Rachel noticed Max slip off the bed and refill her wine glass. The sweet girl seemed absent, disconnected from the discussion. Even when Rachel moved up the bed to sit beside her, she noticed how Max wouldn’t make eye contact or smile, merely looking down into her glass between sips.

After they’d finished their meal, they discussed their plans some more, especially where they would be staying. Max picked the hotel, but despite protests from both Chloe and Rachel she picked another expensive hotel, something that concerned Rachel more now that she knew this Max wouldn’t be dealing with the fallout from her father if he found out how much she’d spent. It was impossible to talk her out of it without revealing her time travel abilities to Jen, something Max clearly knew.

With their plans made, Jen got ready to go home, giving each other of the girls a big hug before she left. She looked really excited as she left their apartment, something that made Rachel happy, especially if it meant it would save her life. Chloe locked the door behind Jen and approached Rachel and Max, who had both sat back down on the bed. Max was holding onto another glass of wine.

“What happened earlier?” Chloe asked, sitting on the foot of the bed looking straight at Rachel.

“We… received a warning from Max,” Rachel answered gently. “Jen dies… unless we do something to save her.”

“So we’re going to LA?” Chloe frowned. “Where did you get that idea?”

“Max gave it to me, I just… adapted it,” Rachel frowned, becoming annoyed that she was being questioned. “I’m more worried about Max…”

“I’m fine,” Max answered, sipping from her wine glass again.

“You’re not fine… you’re spending more on the card than you should, and you know you won’t deal with the fallout of that,” Rachel argued.

“Jen deserves the best, and it’s not like we’ve been spending as much on it as my dad would expect. He thinks we’re travelling the country, so we should have spent far more by now,” Max explained with a calculating smile on her face. “Plus… if it’s my last day before I’m erased, I’d like to enjoy it.”

“Max… you’re not being erased,” Chloe argued sadly, moving up the bed to sit in front of Max. “You’re still you babe…”

“Who will forget everything you do with me. When she comes back, I will have no memory of the next day and any memories we make will be gone,” Max argued quietly, her eyes locked on her wine glass.

“You’re still our Max, that hasn’t changed,” Rachel whispered gently, placing her finger under Max’s chin to tilt her head up so she had to look at the two of them. Her pretty eyes were bloodshot with the hint of oncoming tears, something neither Rachel or Chloe liked to see.

“What do we have to convince you?” Chloe asked. Rachel couldn’t stop herself from glancing at Chloe, using a line she had used on her the second day they’d become such close friends.

“Just… give me an awesome day…” Max said gently, looking between the two of them. “Don’t… treat me any differently.” It almost sounded like she was pleading with them, and it broke Rachel’s heart to hear her that way.

“You’re our girlfriend, Max. Of course we won’t treat you any differently,” Rachel said firmly, putting her arm around Max and reaching out to Chloe so she could join in too.

The three of them embraced tightly, with Max almost crushed between them as neither Chloe nor Rachel wanted to let her go.

As the night wore on, the three of them joked and laughed as they packed a couple of overnight bags, trying to keep Max away from her darker thoughts. Rachel loved the fact they weren’t just staying in one place as much since Chloe had joined them. They’d been up and down the west coast to Arcadia Bay, but this time they were going further south to LA. She couldn’t help but feel excited to finally achieve that dream, even if they wouldn’t be staying for long.

They put on a DVD to watch and cuddle together, with Chloe pinned between Max and Rachel. It wasn’t long before Max fell asleep, the wine being a large influence on her drowsiness. Rachel kept a close eye on her for a short time to make sure she was asleep before looking up to Chloe.

“I’m worried about her…” she whispered quietly, getting Chloe’s attention.

“Why?” Chloe asked softly, a frown creasing her brows. “She did a photo jump before to save me…”

“Her nose was bleeding, a lot. She sounded more panicky and… Chloe, she said it was the third one, that she’d made some kind of mistake,” she explained, trying to keep her voice low to not wake Max up.

“She told me about the Dark Room, all the photo jumps she did then,” Chloe explained, but Rachel only nodded her head as she’d heard it before too.

“I know… but she told me it was hurting more, a lot more,” she said, trying to recall all of their conversation in the bathroom. “What if we…”

“We won’t lose her, I’m not letting her go,” Chloe assured her firmly, pulling Rachel a little closer to her.

“What if we can’t stop it though?” Rachel muttered, unable to take her eyes off Max’s sweet face with her cute freckles.

“We’ll find a way, Rach… because we’re not losing each other,” Chloe responded, kissing her head sweetly.

* * *

 

After a rough start to the morning they were ready to go, but Max was leaning over the open laptop looking at an email, her brow furrowed as she stared at the document. She’d been working on it all morning between getting ready, always returning to it and adding a word here or removing another there. Chloe hadn’t paid close enough attention but Max’s sudden interest was piquing her own. When Rachel’s phone received a text she quickly checked it before grabbing their bags and opening their apartment door. It was clear Jen had arrived with Kelly’s car, but Chloe was interested in Max.

“Whatcha looking at?” she asked, creeping up to Max and wrapping an arm around her slim waist.

“An email… for a competition actually. I’ve… been tempted to send it for a while but…” Max pulled a thoughtful face as she looked at Chloe. “I won’t… remember… so I won’t worry about it, right?”

“It’s not a bad idea, I mean… your pictures are fucking awesome, Max, so if there’s even a chance you could win… why not try?” Chloe answered, smiling into Max’s fearful eyes and trying to instil some confidence in her. “Trust me… just do it…”

“Future me is in for such a shock if I win…” Max grinned, leaning forward and hitting the send key. “Oh… fuck I can’t believe I just did that… do you think I did that before?”

“Fuck knows… but you did it!” Chloe smiled, hugging Max tightly. “You’re going to be fucking famous!”

“Maybe…” Max smiled weakly. “But it won’t be me… will it?”

“Of course it will,” Chloe argued gently, turning Max to face her. “Everything you do is for your future babe, even if you don’t remember today.”

“I know…” Max nodded, the sadness evident in her eyes. “I just… it’s hard to…”

“Come on you two!” Jen shouted as she entered the room. “Rachel’s already in the car and I need a blue-haired navigator, if you’re so inclined!”

With Jen’s sudden intrusion, Max became silent and turned around to close their laptop. Chloe wanted a little longer to try to brighten her mood, but she knew Rachel would be getting impatient to get going. It was the juggle of keeping both of her girls happy, something she never realised could become so difficult.

“We’re all set,” Chloe said, putting on a smile as she put her arm around Max’s shoulders.

“Excellent! I’ll see you in a minute then.” Jen winked, leaving the two of them alone once more.

Opening her mouth to continue their conversation, she was quickly cut off by Max. “Let’s go… before I chicken out and make a mess for the future me,” she said, pulling away from Chloe’s embrace but taking hold of her hand instead.

The petite girl had taken charge, pulling her across the apartment to the door, eager to get going despite her fluctuating moods. It was difficult for Chloe to know just how she was feeling from one moment to the next, but she had to remind herself she’d never personally been in a position where she knew she would lose her memories.

“Maybe I should dye my hair bright red and scare the absolute shit out of me…” Max giggled as Chloe locked the door behind them.

The trip to Los Angeles didn’t need a navigator, but Chloe was comfortable to sit up front with Jen and laugh with the girl. She wasn’t what she’d expected when she’d first heard Rachel had been sleeping with her. After spending so much time with the dark haired girl, she appreciated why Rachel had become close with Jen, even if it still twisted up her gut with jealousy. Jen was pretty, confident, and outgoing, all of the things Chloe felt she wasn’t even though both Max and Rachel would compliment her looks and confidence.

In the backseat, Rachel was pulling funny poses for Max as she took pictures, trying to enjoy the time they had cooped up in the car. Rachel’s excitement was barely held in check; if she wasn’t laughing with Max, she was leaning between the two front seats to talk to Jen and Chloe. It was during those moments Chloe kept a closer eye on Max, noticing how she would look out the window and not get involved in the conversation.

They stopped for gas at midday, halfway into their journey, giving Chloe a chance to change places with Rachel. Instead of talking to Max, she pulled the girl to sit in the middle and wrapped her arms around her, wanting Max to feel the comforting touch of somebody who cared so deeply for her. The girl hadn’t resisted or protested, cuddling into Chloe as close as she could get in the backseat.

When they arrived at the hotel, Max once again took charge to book into their suite, leaving Chloe, Rachel, and Jen with their bags. The dark-haired girl was almost bouncing, a large grin on her face as they waited for Max. Rachel had taken hold of Chloe’s hand and rested her head on her shoulder while they waited, a close touch that she’d missed for those six months. It made her feel comforted, to know she hadn’t pushed her away after all.

“Which of you is coming with me to get the booze?” Jen asked, receiving a quizzical look from Rachel. “You can stay in the car… but I will need help with the bags,” she grinned mischievously.

“I’ll go with you,” Rachel offered, giving Chloe’s hand a squeeze. “Give these two some time together.”

“Thanks, Rach,” Chloe smiled, releasing Rachel’s hand to put her arm around her waist instead.

“I hope I drink enough that I don’t hear you three fucking,” Jen smirked as her phone started ringing. “Uno momento…” she grinned, dropping her bag on the floor and retrieving her phone from her back pocket.

As Jen moved away to answer the call, Rachel turned into Chloe and kissed her collarbone playfully, putting her arms around her waist. “I can’t believe we finally made it,” she whispered happily. “We’re actually here, together!”

“I know…” Chloe grinned, the excitement building in her own chest.

Rachel was right: they’d finally achieved that dream. They were in LA together, they’d made it out of Arcadia Bay, and Max was with them as well. It wasn’t just Rachel’s dream that had come true, but Chloe’s as well.

“You wanna know something? The first thing I wanted to do when we got here?” Rachel asked, a playful note in her voice.

“Tell me…” Chloe asked, looking into Rachel’s hazel eyes as the blonde girl bit her lip.

“I wanted us to go to the Santa Monica pier and see the sunset…” Rachel answered, moving one of her hands to trace her finger over Chloe’s lips. “But after that night…” she continued, never breaking eye contact. “I wanted to find a place to be with you… and start our future off right… to show you what your love and loyalty means to me.”

When Chloe noticed Max approaching with a couple of key cards in her hand, it cut their conversation short. She didn’t want to upset Max with the talk of the past, or how much Chloe wished they could have achieved that dream instead of the pain she had suffered for six months, despite it all working out for the best. It seemed Rachel felt the same way, because she released Chloe from her grip and gave Max a warm smile.

“All good?” Chloe asked, receiving a quick nod from Max. “Let’s wait for Jen… and then we can go check out our rooms!” She grinned happily, taking hold of Max’s shirt and pulling her closer so Rachel could wrap an arm around her waist.

“This is still so weird,” Max muttered as they noticed a couple of men looking at them as they passed.

“People are going to look,” Rachel replied softly. “There’s three hot girls standing together with their arms around each other.”

“Fucking… assholes…” Jen muttered as she finally returned, stuffing her phone back into her pocket.

“Everything okay?” Max asked as Jen picked up her bag, letting out a sigh.

“Mhm… come on, let’s drop off our stuff so I can get some alcohol,” Jen said, the humour and happiness no longer evident in her voice.

As they entered one of the elevators, Chloe noticed how the girl’s mood had completely changed since the phone call; her jovial nature had taken a backseat to a brooding she had never seen in Jen before. When they entered the suite Max’s dad had paid for, a small smile actually pulled at Jen’s lips.

“Fuck… me…” she muttered as she walked past the couches to the windows.

“Worth it?” Max whispered to Rachel, just loud enough for Chloe to hear her too.

“Fucking worth it…” Rachel grinned happily, giving Max a firm kiss on the head.

From the suite there were two separate bedrooms, one for Jen and one for Max, Chloe, and Rachel. Once again it was larger than the apartment in San Francisco, which explained why Max and Rachel had a desire for the larger life at the moment. Chloe still couldn’t believe the two girls had survived in such a small space for so long, but it helped to explain their close bond.

“Alright… I need alcohol…” Jen said, dropping her bag on one of the couches and shaking the car keys. “Which one of you gorgeous girls is coming with me?”

“I…” Rachel started to say when Max interrupted her.

“I’d love to… I can get some shots of the city!” she said with an eager grin on her face.

“You’ll have to stay in the car while I buy it… I don’t want you getting carded and ruining the evening,” Jen winked, grabbing Max’s hand and pulling her away from Rachel playfully.

“You sure you wanna go?” Chloe asked, trying to hide the concern for Max’s well being considering her mood swings.

“I’ll be fine,” Max said, handing one of the key cards to Rachel before checking the camera in the art bag. “Plus… it gives you two some time for once,” she winked with a smile on her face.

“Come on, sexy… alcohol!” Jen repeated, holding the suite door open.

“See you soon!” Max waved as she left with Jen.

“I’ll look after her, I promise,” Jen waved as the door closed behind them.

Trying not to worry too much about Max, Chloe took off her jacket and sat down on one of the couches, watching as Rachel removed Chloe’s black jacket that she’d taken possession of. She brushed some of her blonde hair behind her ear as she smiled at Chloe.

“They’ll be fine,” Chloe said, more to herself than to Rachel.

“I know… and they’ll probably be a while…” Rachel nodded as she passed close to look out of the windows. “I can’t believe we’re here… actually fucking here!”

The excitement was creeping back into Rachel’s voice, the energy Chloe loved about her, how she could make anything seem possible. She felt the girl’s hands on her shoulders and tipped her head back to smile up at the girl who had been there when she needed somebody most.

“Come with me…” Rachel grinned, walking back around the couch and pulling Chloe to her feet.

“You sure…” Chloe started to say as Rachel pulled her quickly into the bedroom.

“Shut up…” Rachel giggled, closing the door behind them and pinning Chloe to it with a kiss.

It reminded her of the kiss beneath the street light, their first that had confirmed just how she had been feeling for Rachel. The kiss that had made her so willing to walk into the fires of hell for the girl she barely knew. She allowed the excitement and joy to take over before pushing Rachel back onto the bed.

“Rach…” she whispered as they broke their kiss so Rachel could remove her vest top.

“Don’t make me beg,” the girl said, leaning back on the bed and showing off her body.

For a moment Chloe looked at Rachel’s gorgeous body, admiring her form and the scar she’d acquired fighting Damon. She was torn between showing Rachel the intimacy and affection she was asking for or playing it safe so Max wouldn’t have to hear them having sex when she got back with Jen.

Rachel seemed to guess what she was thinking. She sat up and gently tugged Chloe’s shirt, pulling her down so they could kiss once more. It was all the persuasion she needed to stop worrying so much.


	30. Reconnecting

It wasn’t the same rough desperate assault to undress one another and explore each other's bodies, it was completely different and far more intimate. Every brush of Chloe’s fingertips against her bare skin sent nerves tingling through her body as they kissed slowly, deeply. Just as Chloe teased her senses, she was doing the same in return, running her fingers up Chloe’s sides, drawing her vest top up off her stomach. It was everything Rachel had dreamed about in the intervening months, the feel of her skin and the touch of her lips. She was cherishing every moment, every feeling her girlfriend could elicit.

Slowly, they moved up the bed together until Rachel felt the pillows behind her head and hooked her legs around Chloe’s, keeping them entwined together. When the punk girl started to pull away from the kiss, Rachel let out a desperate sigh. She didn’t want it to end so soon, but when Chloe pulled her white vest top over her head she smiled, knowing it was just the beginning.

As Chloe leaned over her, she arched her back to unclasp her own bra, wriggling her shoulders to free the straps. She looked down quickly to remove her bra completely, and when she looked back at Chloe, she noticed how the punk girl had mirrored her actions in removing her own bra. They were topless before each other, but could only stare into the other’s eyes.

Rachel was about to lean up to pull Chloe back down when the girl lowered herself against her, pressing their bodies together as their lips met once more. She ran her fingers up and down Chloe’s spine, eventually burying her left hand in her blue hair to hold her to their kiss. The passion of their moment intensified steadily, the teasing with tongues and gentle nips on lips heightening the sensations.

Wanting more, she rolled them both onto their sides and allowed Chloe’s hips to move away from her own. As they kissed, she teasingly moved her right index finger down Chloe’s chest over her stomach to her jeans, which she unfastened with practiced coordination. Their lips parted, giving her chance to look into Chloe’s eyes again. She could see the devotion she had, the loyalty and love the girl could give that was now shared between Rachel and Max. She was about to slip her fingers beneath the fabric of Chloe’s underwear when the girl caught her hand and stopped her. Rachel frowned in confusion, worried that Chloe didn’t want to go any further as she moved away from her. Her concern was unfounded as Chloe removed her boots and the rest of her clothing, leaving her lying on the bed beside Rachel with only her jewellery on.

The punk girl made no attempt to restart their activity, but Rachel understood the message. She undid her own jeans as she kicked off her sneakers, then removed the rest of her own clothes. She no longer wore as much jewellery as Chloe, something that made her feel almost completely naked by comparison. When they rolled towards one another she had no more time to think, they pressed their bodies together once more.

Every bit of pressure on her body from Chloe made her want more, every brush of her fingertips, every flick of her tongue. The girl was teasing her and Rachel wasn’t taking complete control; she was holding it back and enjoying the feelings Chloe was managing to intensify. Just as she was about to take control, she felt Chloe move away ever so slightly, and she felt her fingers on the inside of her leg, teasing gently, lovingly, upwards. She pressed her hips forward, trying to show Chloe through action how much she wanted her touch. Even as they kissed she could feel the smirk, the look Chloe would be giving her before her fingers pressed slowly into her. She allowed the sigh to escape her lips and rest her forehead on Chloe’s shoulder.

“I missed you…” she purred as Chloe expertly worked her fingers.

Her girlfriend said nothing, instead kissing and biting Rachel’s shoulder. She couldn’t allow Chloe to do all the pleasuring and traced her own fingers over Chloe’s stomach, lower and lower until she heard the girl let out a soft moan as well.

“I missed you too…” Chloe sighed gently, the love evident in her voice.

* * *

As Rachel lay in bed with Chloe, she still couldn’t believe how fortunate she was. Watching the rapid rise and fall of Chloe’s chest, she was more grateful than ever that Max had saved her life from whatever fate had awaited her. There were no words to describe how she was feeling; she could only play with Chloe’s belly button piercing, flicking it playfully as she’d done once before. Chloe tilted her head to look at her, and Rachel merely stared back, her cheeky smile tugging at her lips.

They remained that way for a while as Rachel enjoyed their slice of time together. The only pressing matter was to clean up and get dressed before Max and Jen returned with the alcohol. She wanted to remain in the moment for a little longer and sighed when Chloe started to move, only to be surprised when Chloe rolled towards her and kissed her sweetly.

“I’m going to get a quick shower…” Chloe smiled as she ran a finger down Rachel’s collarbone.

“I won’t go anywhere,” she smirked in response, tempted to join her girlfriend in the shower and spend a little more time together.

Instead, she watched as Chloe’s blue hair disappeared through the bathroom door. With a moment to herself, she rolled onto her side to look through the windows at the blue sky, glad they were in LA and had some time for just the two of them. Reaching down the side of the bed for her jeans, she pulled her phone from the pocket and checked for any messages from Max. They’d been gone for what felt like some time, but then Max would have been touch if anything had gone wrong. She checked through the messages, including one from Kelly telling them to have a good time. It put a smile on her face to think even Kelly and Brooke were getting some time together, not having to worry about their friend.

 _You have a bigger impact than you realise, Max._ She smirked as she started to type a playful message to her.

**Rachel:**

_Where are you guys? We want booze! <3 _

She hit the send key and dropped the phone on her pillow while she waited for a response. Although she was sure Chloe had closed the bathroom door fully, she could hear the running water in the shower. Temptation pulled at her insides, but she’d spent enough time having fun with her girls in showers. First Jen, and then almost Max. It was becoming a bad habit.

When Max hadn’t responded she was going to text her again, but Chloe exited the bathroom with a towel around her chest and distracted her. Chloe’s blue hair was sopping wet with the pink in the roots clearly visible, while a wide smile was on her pretty face.

“Your turn…” Chloe said, sticking out her tongue playfully.

“Thank you!” She smirked as she climbed out of bed, not bothering to cover her modesty as she went into the bathroom. Chloe had seen it all now anyway.

She had the quickest shower of her life due to her concern over Max’s silence, and when she was done, quickly left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around herself. Chloe was already wearing her bra and jeans, but it didn’t stop Rachel from kissing her as soon as she got close. When the memories of their years together rushed into her mind, it made her question why she’d never told Chloe how she’d felt all along, why she’d had to almost ruin it by sleeping with Frank and Mark. She bit Chloe’s lip as the girl started to pull away, if only to keep the kiss going a little bit longer. Eventually, the punk girl escaped their moment, with the same shocked expression she had worn so many years ago.

“Chloe Price… I love you, and I don’t deserve you,” she whispered gently as she looked into Chloe’s blue eyes.

“I love you too, Rach,” Chloe responded with the smile that always warmed Rachel’s heart. “I kinda wish we’d have done this sooner, ya know? Got the fuck out of Arcadia Bay… been… this,” she added as she took hold of Rachel’s hands.

“What stopped us?” Rachel asked gently. “After everything we talked about, the dreams we shared… what stopped this from happening for so long?” she said as she pulled a hand away from Chloe’s to stroke her magnificent blue hair out of her eyes.

“I don’t know…” Chloe shrugged. “But… I don’t fucking care, I’ve got you now!” she said with a bright smile. “After everything Max and I went through that week… I’m trying not to get stuck in the past. I never know when some shit is gonna happen and I could lose one of you again.”

“I like the idea of getting lost in the now… especially with you,” she smirked, pressing her body against Chloe’s. “You saved my life, Chloe… when you asked Max to try to find me, you saved me again.”

“That was all Max…” Chloe grinned bashfully.

“You never gave up on me… after everything I did that hurt you,” she argued softly, trying to get Chloe to accept her part in it all. “You are loyal, brave… beautiful… and I don’t fucking deserve you.”

She leaned up to kiss Chloe again, to taste her lips and enjoy the time they were getting together when her phone started vibrating on the pillow. It killed the moment they were having, but at the same time, she was hoping it was Max so she could stop worrying about her. Chloe returned to getting dressed while Rachel sat on the bed by the pillow, checking the phone display to see if it was a call or a text.

**Max:**

_On our way back now, we went shopping! Sorry to worry you. See you both soon <3 xoxo _

“They’re on their way back,” she announced as Chloe pulled a white vest top over her head. “So I guess I can’t have some more Chloe time just yet…” she added playfully.

“We’ve got until they get back…” Chloe smirked, the playfulness evident in her smile and her eyes.

“Probably not as long as we hope,” Rachel laughed, sliding off the bed to start getting dressed.

When they were both dressed and Rachel had tied her hair up into a ponytail, the two of them returned to the lounge where she took a moment to look out on the city. It still felt like a dream, like she wasn’t really there. She was expecting to wake up in the Dark Room any minute, stuck with the two people she never wanted to see again. It snapped her from her dark thoughts when she felt Chloe’s breath on the back of her neck and her arms around her waist, a comforting embrace that she leaned back into.

“I’m worried…” Rachel said as she placed her own hands on Chloe’s.

“About Max?” Chloe asked as she rested her chin on Rachel’s shoulder.

“Mhm.” Rachel nodded before pressing her head to Chloe’s. “I’ve never felt… so worried about somebody before.”

“Not even me?”

Rachel allowed a small smile to cross her lips as she pressed her head a little firmer to Chloe’s. “I always worried about you. I made myself sick worrying,” she answered honestly, thinking of the drugs she’d taken to escape those feelings, to stop having to think. “But I was never afraid of you dying, of losing you so completely.”

“We won’t lose her…” Chloe said as she tightened her grip around Rachel’s waist. “She’s tough.”

“Tell me about it…” Rachel smirked, recalling the bruise on Max’s side that had caused her so much discomfort.

Slowly Rachel pulled away from Chloe’s embrace and took her hand, leading her over to one of the couches. She sat in the corner, pulling Chloe down to sit as close to her as possible, then put her legs over Chloe’s like they had done so long ago, only they were more intimately wrapped together now, her hand in the back of Chloe’s hair.

“Did you ever see yourself with both of us?” Rachel asked curiously. “Did you ever imagine it?”

“I hoped. Maybe go to Seattle and give Max a piece of my mind for her lack of contact… but then she’d apologise and we’d make up and you could meet her…” Chloe grinned sheepishly. “Or… I’d go while you were busy acting or modelling and I’d ask why she cut me off.”

“You took her back in a heartbeat.” Rachel grinned as she ran a hand over Chloe’s tattoo.

“I bet that wouldn’t have happened if you were there…” Chloe shrugged as she stroked Rachel’s leg over the jeans.

“You’re right. Back then, I wanted to give her a piece of my mind for leaving you, for being a shitty fucking friend,” Rachel admitted. “I told you enough times how I’d beat her up for it.”

“Unless she had a knife…” Chloe laughed, telling one of their old jokes.

“Oh! My one weakness!” Rachel chuckled, playfully clutching at her chest. “I shall never live that down!”

“Alright, Drama Queen…” Chloe sniggered, poking her in the side.

“‘Twas but a scratch,” Rachel grinned as she pressed her head to Chloe’s. “But you saved me…”

“I’ve told you before, I was freaking the fuck out. You were bleeding all over my new truck!” Chloe smirked as she was about to tell another one of their crude jokes.

“Don’t even finish that one…” Rachel growled playfully. “You were not trying to get rid of me.”

“Never…” Chloe quickly said.

They both smiled at each other before Chloe took the initiative and gave Rachel another wonderful kiss. It was so easy to get lost in the moment together now that they had accepted their emotions. Chloe turned in towards Rachel as they slowly started to slip down the couch with Rachel on her back, enjoying the soft touch of her lips and fingers as they made out like teenagers on their second date. They were barely aware of the lock clicking and the door opening.

“Well, looks like they’re already getting the party started,” Jen said with a laugh, drowning out the clink of bottles.

With a small giggle, Chloe and Rachel sat back up, looking at the smirk on Max’s face as Jen closed the door behind them.

“Had fun?” Max teased, setting a bag down on the floor by their bedroom door.

“Your turn next…” Rachel winked playfully, hoping there would come a time it was just Max and herself.

“So what took you so long?” Chloe asked as they returned to how they were originally seated.

“We had a little retail therapy,” Jen answered as she took her bag off the other couch. “I’ll let Max show you… I’m going to go and change.” She winked as she disappeared into her own bedroom with a couple of other bags that they’d brought back with them.

“I’m going to go and change too…” Max said with a small shrug. “Rach… could you help me?”

“Yeah, sure,” Rachel grinned before kissing Chloe on the cheek. “Looks like the surprise is for you.” She winked as she climbed off the couch.

“I’ll be here… waiting... as normal…” Chloe grinned as she lay down on the couch.

Taking hold of Max’s hand, Rachel pulled her playfully into the bedroom, making sure to pick up her bags from by the door. Max looked a little nervous as she closed the door behind them, then took the art bag off her shoulder.

“So what did you get? I wanna know!” Rachel asked as she sat on the bed, noticing how she and Chloe had left the covers messed up.

“Well, I know what you got,” Max teased as she looked past Rachel at the covers.

“Jealous?” Rachel asked as Max picked up one of the bags and dropped it on the bed beside her.

The girl gave a small shrug of her shoulders as she looked through the bag’s contents. Her silence made Rachel more curious, wanting to know how it made Max feel. Hoping she wasn’t upset. Reluctant to wait for a response, she stopped Max from rifling through the bag and stared into her blue eyes, so similar to Chloe’s yet so different.

“You’re not jealous, are you?” Rachel asked again.

“No. Maybe… a little?” Max answered shyly. “But it’s okay, I’m not mad or anything. I’m just finding it a little…” she started to ramble, making Rachel smirk before she kissed her to shut her up for a moment.

Max seemed a little apprehensive at first but finally relaxed into the contact, even placing her fingertips to Rachel’s cheek as they enjoyed each other’s touch.

“Better?” Rachel whispered as they parted.

“Mhm,” Max breathed, a small smile flitting across her lips.

“Good… now show me what you’ve bought,” Rachel grinned, allowing Max to go back to the bag beside them.

* * *

 

While Chloe waited for the girls to return, she opened one of the bottles of beer Max and Jen had bought and sat comfortably on the couch. She wasn’t concerned that Max had chosen Rachel to go with her to change. Chloe wasn’t exactly a girly girl, and if Max wanted clothing advice, then Rachel was the best one to ask.

Finally, Jen returned from her bedroom having applied some makeup. She also wore a tube top that didn’t cover her midriff, as well as an open button up shirt similar to what Max had started to wear. She’d changed out of her baggy pants into tight jeans, showing off her fit form as she gave a twirl for Chloe.

“Hot or not?” she asked with a wink.

“Uh…” Chloe said, glancing over Jen’s body and trying not to blush.

“Thanks, Blue,” Jen smirked as she put her phone in her back pocket.

“Are we going out somewhere?” Chloe asked, confused as to why both Max and Jen were getting changed if they were staying in the hotel.

“We’re gonna get dinner before we drink… Max was very persuasive,” Jen said as she checked her makeup in the mirror. “Have you ever tried saying no to that girl when she’s determined? It’s impossible to win.”

“Oh yeah… but I can normally bring her round to my way of thinking,” Chloe smirked happily as she tapped the glass with her ring.

“Like getting two girls to date you?” Jen asked as she finished fixing her makeup.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chloe retorted, unsure how to take Jen’s remark.

“Nothing bad!” Jen said with a smile as she turned to face her. “I gave them the idea, remember?”

“I guess,” Chloe nodded, watching the dark-haired girl as she sat down beside her. “So who was on the phone earlier?” she decided to ask, wondering if Max had done the same.

“Oh, that?” Jen said, frowning slightly. “Well…” she started to explain when the other bedroom door opened.

Rachel exited the bedroom first with a mischievous look in her eyes; she winked playfully at Chloe before turning towards the door as Max entered the room. Her hair was tied back in a small ponytail, but what really caught Chloe’s attention was the off shoulder blue top she wore with her ripped blue jeans. She’d also had her makeup redone, probably by Rachel who was grinning happily beside Max.

“Wow, Max!” Chloe almost shouted as she looked at Max.

“Retail therapy.” Max grinned as she gave a small turn for Chloe to see the back. “Does it suit me?” she asked, the uncertainty evident in her voice.

“Fuck yeah!” Chloe grinned, passing her empty bottle to Jen before getting up off the couch.

“Hella hot, like I told you,” Rachel purred as she wrapped her arm around Max’s waist.

“Sure it’s the same Max?” Chloe teased as she hugged her two girls, still in shock at how amazing Max looked.

“Oh, I’m sure… I watched her change and everything,” Rachel smirked as Max squeezed Chloe’s side tightly.

“Don’t tease,” Max groaned as she rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

“Alright love birds… I wanna start drinking, but Max says dinner first!” Jen said, breaking up their hug with a playful tug on Chloe’s shoulder.

“Let’s go then!” Rachel laughed as they all broke up to start getting on shoes or boots that had been haphazardly thrown aside.

Their choice of hotel gave them a number of restaurants to choose from without needing to drive anywhere. At first, Rachel and Jen couldn’t agree on where to go, with both of them arguing for different meals, to Max and Chloe’s amusement. In the end, it was Max who broke the stalemate by requesting pizza, and it seemed neither of the two girls wanted to argue with her looking as pretty as she did. As they walked the streets to find a pizzeria, Jen managed to turn a few heads in her outfit, especially from a few leering men who seemed interested in Max as well. Rachel put her arm possessively around Max, causing a few wolf whistles to be directed their way.

They found a nice restaurant and were soon seated in a small corner booth, with Max lovingly sandwiched between Chloe and Rachel with Jen seated comfortably beside her. They ordered their drinks and meals and were soon laughing about the looks they had been receiving outside, especially the interest in Max.

“They fucking adore her!” Jen whispered before taking a sip of Coca-Cola from her glass.

“Stop it…” Max argued as she turned red.

“Hell no, you do look amazing,” Rachel joined in, wrapping her arm around Max’s waist. “You’re turning heads!”

“Seriously Max, this is what’s gonna happen when you’re famous,” Chloe added, causing Jen to grin at them.

“Or they’ll be looking at Rach and leaving me alone,” Max retorted as she rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

“They’ll be looking at us, because you’ll be getting kissed,” Rachel smirked cheekily, causing both Jen and Chloe to laugh.

“For fuck’s sake… you’re all so mean to me,” Max groaned, turning her head toward Chloe’s chest as though trying to escape.

“Mean would be calling you a useless waste of air…” Jen said, the words sounding as though they hurt her in some way to repeat. “We’re telling you, you’re fucking incredible!” she continued, a weak smile on her face.

When their pizzas were served up they tucked in happily, even sharing their slices with somebody else for the variety of the meal. Rachel possessively guarded hers until Max slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, finally causing the blonde girl to hand Max a slice in exchange for one of her own.

“Pizza thief,” Rachel muttered as she took a bite of a slice.

“Pizza-hog,” Max retorted with a cheeky grin on her face.

When they’d eaten their fill and paid the bill they returned to the hotel in high spirits. Rachel was clinging to Max’s hand as Chloe walked slightly behind with Jen, discussing how she’d saved her truck from the scrap heap. The dark-haired girl appeared impressed, especially as they hadn’t really had much time to discuss this kind of thing before.

They returned to the hotel room where they all removed their boots and shoes before opening the alcohol. Max and Rachel had the wine open and poured into two glasses in seconds while Jen and Chloe opted for the beer.

Before they got too far into the night, Max was the one to ask the question that had been burning in Chloe’s mind since she’d asked it earlier.

“So, Jen… who was on the phone earlier?” the brunette girl asked as she settled onto the couch beside Chloe.

“Okay… seeing as you’re gonna keep asking,” Jen sighed, stretching out on her own couch as Rachel joined Max and Chloe on theirs. “That was my mom, who’d been listening to the news about Jefferson and wanted me to know how sorry she was that Liz had been a victim.”

“That was at least nice of her,” Rachel said as she got comfy against Max, putting a little more pressure on Chloe in the corner.

“Oh yeah… until she decides to mention how it probably wouldn’t have happened if I had looked after her properly, or had been a better girlfriend… or had I just not ruined Liz’s life to begin with!” Jen huffed, taking a large gulp of her beer.

“She seriously fucking said that?” Chloe asked, holding onto Max and Rachel a little tighter.

“That’s not the worst of it,” Jen sighed sadly.

“What’s the worst of it?” Max asked softly.

“It’s not important,” Jen shrugged, taking another swig of her beer.

“You’re important to us, so out with it,” Rachel said firmly.

“We got into a fight… as normal... and uhm... she said I was a waste of space. Reciting her age-worn line that I will never amount to anything and I should just die,” Jen said sadly as she looked down at her bottle. “I… never would have told Kelly or Brooke that.”

Rachel was the first off the couch, placing her wine glass on the coffee table before leaning over Jen and hugging her tightly. It looked as though Jen really needed the embrace because she quickly held onto Rachel, almost pulling the blonde-haired girl down on top of her.

“I’m okay…” Jen mumbled as Rachel slowly let her go.

“Jen… you are worth so much more than they realise,” Rachel said as she sat on the edge of the seat. “You… saved me from making a greater mistake and you made…”

Max was already climbing off the couch to stand behind Rachel, wrapping her arms around her neck as Chloe watched the two of them.

“You made this possible for us,” Max finished.

“I’d have given up and… I’d never have Chloe and Max, I’d be alone instead,” Rachel continued. “You told me to hold on, and because of that I got to see how much I mean to Max, and she got to see how much she means to me.”

“And now… we all have each other because of you,” Chloe decided to add, receiving warm smiles from the three girls.

“Remember what you said to us?” Rachel said, gently caressing Jen’s cheek and making Chloe slightly jealous.

“What?” Jen said, looking at Max and Rachel.

“Fuck ‘em,” Max answered with a grin. “You are who you are Jen, Liz’s death wasn’t your fault.”

“I should have… done more,” Jen argued quietly.

Chloe watched the three of them closely, wondering if Max or Rachel were ever going to admit to being victims of Jefferson themselves or that Max knew another victim who she had saved. She wanted to interfere and help, to give Jen the confidence she clearly needed, but she didn’t want to do something that Max might have to fix.

“You are not to blame,” Rachel said firmly, taking hold of Jen’s hand. “You are a hella awesome fucking woman who has never let me or Max down. So… tonight… I won’t hear any more of it. You’re our best friend, and we wouldn’t be here without you!”

“Thank you…” Jen smiled, pulling the two girls into another hug. “Come here, Blue! I need a hug from you too!” she called out between the press of bodies.

Chloe shook her head as she left her comfortable place on the couch and leaned down to give Jen a hug. As they parted, she noticed the tears in Jen’s eyes but noticed how she was smiling too.

“Alright! Party time!” Rachel laughed, clapping her hands and turning to Max. “Music, wine… card games, come on, let’s have some fun!”

As their small party continued into the night, they put on some music for background noise and Jen found a large box of black and white cards in her bag. They made up some of their own rules for the game, which was allowed according to the instructions. Their rules centred around drinking on a loss or a tie, just to make sure they were all going to get drunk. The dark humour kept them laughing and busy for a few hours.

What made Chloe laugh was the fact Max was definitely getting drunk. Her mannerisms were changing and she was becoming far more confident in her teases and jokes; even the cards she played were becoming darker. Either she was getting luckier on the draw, or she wasn’t as concerned about what they thought about her twisted jokes. It was incredible to see Max so loose and carefree.

Unfortunately, Chloe couldn’t stop herself from keeping a close eye on Jen. She’d seen the kind of brooding Jen possessed before in herself. It was the darkest period of her life, feeling abandoned and unwanted by everybody around her. Rachel’s disappearance had left such a large hole in her life, just like Max leaving had left the Max shaped hole in her heart. They were both important to her in their own ways, just like Steph had said.

She was pulled from her own dark thoughts as Max kissed her firmly on the lips. It drew her attention to the brunette girl as she tugged at Chloe’s shirt, pulling her off the couch.

“Anybody mind if I steal Chloe?” She grinned as she pulled Chloe by her shirt towards the bedroom.

“What about me?” Rachel called out, making Chloe look around at her playful pout.

“Jen needs company,” Max retorted as she leaned against the doorframe, quickly downing the rest of her wine.

“Oh, I’ll be fine if you three want to go and make sexy sweet noises,” Jen sniggered as she tapped her ring on her glass bottle.

Climbing off the couch, Rachel leaned over Jen and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, causing Chloe’s jealousy to rage in her chest that they may still be so close. The blonde girl quickly rushed over to them and took hold of Max’s glass, placing it on the dining table.

“Have fun!” Jen teased as she placed her cards on the coffee table and lay back on the couch, a smirk visible on her pretty lips.

“We can’t just leave her all alone,” Chloe argued as Max pulled the two of them into the bedroom.

“Oh… I know…” Rachel moaned softly as Max kissed her neck. “But… I want time with Max too,” she maintained as she bit her bottom lip.

“I doubt Max is going to notice…” Chloe said, referring to how drunk she appeared to be.

“I’m gonna be sick,” Max suddenly said, her eyes wide with concern. Releasing both girls, she rushed into the bathroom, leaving the door open behind her.

“Yeah… moment over,” Rachel said, tilting her head to the side as they heard Max throwing up. “She used to be able to handle her drink better.”

“Wine or beer?” Chloe asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Beer. I guess,” Rachel smirked, sitting beside Chloe and resting her head on her shoulder.

“I’ll look after Max. You should go and look after Jen,” Chloe sighed, kissing Rachel on the forehead.

“Alright, I guess… so much for getting laid again,” the girl teased, turning to kiss Chloe on the lips before standing up to leave.

“You’re just gonna have to wait…” Chloe winked as she reluctantly released Rachel’s hand.

When Rachel had left her alone in the bedroom, Chloe lay back on the bed to think about what they’d almost done again, her mind muddled with the alcohol and aroused feelings. Suddenly she heard Max throwing up in the bathroom and it killed her mood, while the sound of the music continued to filter in, as well as the louder laughter of Rachel and Jen. For a moment she was curious to see what they were getting up to when a shout caught her attention.

“Chloe!” the girl in the bathroom shouted, causing her to jump up from the bed and rush in to check on her.

What she found scared her almost to the core: Max was on her knees beside the toilet and had blood on her mouth and chest. Her nose was bleeding more profusely than Chloe had ever seen before, dripping down her chin onto her new top.

“What happened?” Chloe asked, falling to her knees beside Max and quickly pulling tissue from the roll, pressing it to Max’s nose.

“Is she safe? Is Jen okay?” Max asked, placing her hands on Chloe’s shoulders as she stared into her eyes.

“She’s fine… she’s okay. We’re in LA,” she answered, noticing the bloodshot in Max’s beautiful eyes.

“Thank you,” she muttered, leaning back against the tiled wall. “It worked…” She smiled, releasing Chloe’s shoulders as she closed her eyes. Chloe struggled to keep the tissue to her nose as the girl moved away from her.

“Why are you covered in so much blood?” Chloe demanded, grabbing more tissue and throwing the blood-soaked tissue into the toilet beside them.

“I threw up…” Max answered as she rested her head on the wall. “It was… just blood.”

“This is killing you, Max…” Chloe said, unable to hide the concern from her voice.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll probably just… need a lot of sleep.” Max smiled weakly, opening her eyes for a moment to look at Chloe. “Don’t worry… you’re not losing me,” she said, almost as though she could read Chloe’s mind. “I’m not giving up.”

“So you’re back now? No more jumps?” Chloe asked, discarding the bloody tissue once more and applying another as the bleeding slowed down.

“One more… about an hour? Maybe two?” Max whispered, taking hold of one of Chloe’s hands. “Tell other me to lay off the alcohol? I… don’t want to be so drunk when I get back.”

Chloe couldn’t stop herself from laughing at Max’s small joke, knowing the girl was already fairly drunk, especially as she had been the one trying to initiate something.

“One more time....” Max sighed, closing her eyes once more. “I’ll be back soon…”

Max smiled once more before it suddenly faltered, her eyes snapping open in shock as she stared at Chloe.

“Another warning?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Chloe quickly shook her head as she continued to help clean Max’s nose. “No… return trip, it’s almost over,” she answered, feeling a little sorry for the Max that would be overwritten.

“How long?” Max asked, the sadness returning to her voice.

“A couple of hours, maybe,” she answered, gently stroking a stray strand of hair behind Max’s ear.

“Time to get wasted then…” Max grumbled.


	31. Aftermath

When Rachel returned to the lounge, she swiped a wine glass off the table. Taking a sip of the contents, she sat down on Jen’s couch in the opposite corner to the dark-haired girl she cared for. As they looked at one another, she recognised the sheepish grin on Jen’s face, then noticed her unzipped jeans and tried to suppress a laugh.

“You fucking perv!” she giggled, tapping Jen on the leg.

“I don’t have any lovely ladies to make moan,” Jen retorted playfully as she placed her bare feet either side of Rachel. “You were also far quicker than I was expecting, too… everything okay?”

“Max had to rush to the bathroom.” Rachel shrugged as she sipped on her wine.

“So you’re left feeling horny… and you see me like this and you can’t help but wonder…” Jen teased, running her foot up and down Rachel’s thigh.

“Oh, no… you’re not doing that to me again,” Rachel giggled, stretching out one of her legs and resting it over Jen’s, trying to stop her.

“I wasn’t trying to…” Jen smirked as she reached down to grab her bottle from the floor.

“Mhm… I know your tricks,” Rachel retorted with a grin. “You’re a bad influence on me, Jennifer.”

“A good bad influence, I hope,” Jen smirked, slipping down the couch so she had to bend her knees, her head resting on the arm of the couch.

“You’re my best friend,” Rachel answered kindly, gently stroking Jen’s calf. “I told you… I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

“You’re one of mine too,” Jen replied with a sigh. “I’m glad I was with you guys after that call.”

“We’re always here for you, always… just… don’t be afraid to call us,” Rachel said, stretching her other leg out under Jen’s so they were almost entwined together.

“I’ll remember that… I promise.” Jen smiled happily, reaching forward to clink her bottle to Rachel’s glass.

“You better, or I’ll have to tie you up,” Rachel teased, causing Jen to laugh loudly.

“Oh, wow Rach… I thought having girlfriends would have knocked that out of you,” Jen retorted, slipping her shirt off her shoulder. “Bring it… I fucking dare you…”

Rachel laughed but shook her head. “Who’s to say I meant sex? You just have a perverted mind!”

“How else was I going to take it? I’m lying here with my jeans undone and you’re smouldering!” Jen chuckled, allowing her shirt to slip off her other shoulder.

“Smouldering? What?” Rachel giggled, glancing across Jen’s collarbone which she had once enjoyed kissing.

“You’re like… a… uhm…” Jen frowned for a moment as she struggled to find the words, no doubt caused by her alcohol-fueled brain. “You’re just hot as fuck, stop making me think so damn hard!”

“It’s fun watching you squirm…” Rachel smirked, happily teasing her friend while they were both so comfortably drunk.

“And I thought I was bad,” Jen grinned, rubbing her leg against Rachel’s. “Oh… your girlfriends are back.”

Rachel looked around as Max and Chloe came out of the bathroom, though Max had changed out of her new top and was instead wearing her black shirt with the blue butterflies on the shoulders. The brunette girl was already refilling her wine glass, despite having thrown up already.

“Sure you should be drinking more?” she asked as Chloe gave an uncertain shrug.

“I don’t want the night to end,” Max answered quietly. “But… I’ll be more careful.”

“We have another night yet, we don’t have to drink all the alcohol tonight,” Jen giggled.

When Rachel looked back at Jen, she noticed the girl had zipped up and buttoned her jeans, a mischievous twinkle evident in her pretty eyes.

“Well… how about a game?” Max asked, sitting down in the centre of the other couch and pulling her feet up under her. “Other than cards…” she quickly added.

“What did you have in mind?” Jen asked, clearly intrigued.

“Truth or Dare... something childish and silly which I haven’t played in years,” Max grinned before snuggling into Chloe who had sat down beside her.

“Oh, now that’s dangerous… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jen said, shaking her head.

“Why not?” Max asked, clearly determined to get her way.

“I don’t wanna get between you three, or be the object of some crazy kink you may have,” Jen said, making Rachel giggle.

“Jen’s right,” Chloe added, kissing Max on the side of the head. “Better stick to cards…”

“Fine…” Max sighed, picking up her cards once more.

“Maybe tomorrow, when I’m not afraid of you throwing up in my mouth,” Jen teased as she received her own cards.

“Okay,” Max muttered, sipping her drink once more.

As the hour passed them by, Rachel noticed Max’s enthusiasm starting to wane; she was laughing less and becoming less interested in the game. It broke Rachel’s heart to see Max so downtrodden, so depressed when they were supposed to be having fun.

When Rachel got up to pour herself another drink, instead of returning to the couch with Jen, she sat beside Max and put her arm around the brunette girl. When Max looked at her, she could see the traces of fear and sorrow in her beautiful eyes, and Rachel only wanted to take that away.

Jen and Chloe started laughing loudly at a really crude joke, giving Rachel the chance to quietly whisper something to Max.

“Wanna make a memory with me?” she asked as she brushed her lips against Max’s ear.

“Yeah…” Max answered with a small nod.

“Keep playing! I wanna talk to Max for a moment!” she suddenly announced, climbing up off the couch and holding a hand out for Max.

“Everything okay?” Chloe asked, frowning as Max was pulled from her seat.

“Yep… secret plans!” Rachel grinned, trying not to upset Chloe with a lie.

She pulled Max into the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind her. She took Max’s wine glass from her and placed it on the bedside table with her own. Looking at Max, she took a moment to admire how cute she was, even if she looked so sad. It reminded her of the months they had spent together, how they had been slowly falling apart as time passed them by.

“What are we doing?” Max asked, sounding a little confused by Rachel’s actions.

“Making a memory,” Rachel answered, stepping closer and caressing Max’s cheek. “You once took one from me… so… think of this like me taking one from you.” She smiled gently, trying to help Max understand her intentions. “One… I will have to give back to you.”

“It doesn’t work like…” Max started to protest.

“I know… how it works,” Rachel answered, staring into Max’s eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Max whispered as Rachel softly placed her hand on the small of her back.

“Good,” she purred as she brushed her lips against Max’s.

* * *

 

The pain in her head was back, like hooks being stabbed into the soft tissue and yanked out. It was the first thing she felt as the world around her started to come into focus, but as she started to see beautiful hazel eyes staring at her with concern, she felt sick. She struggled off a bed and fell to her knees, only to feel a pair of arms helping her to her feet and guiding her into the bathroom, where she collapsed by the toilet, trying not to throw up.

Their voices sounded far off, like a great distance was still between them and she hadn’t quite returned completely. A tissue was placed to her nose as her vision started to clear, allowing her to look at the two girls who had helped her into the bathroom. Rachel was in her bra and shorts, kneeling beside her on the floor with the tissues, while Chloe was wearing a long shirt that covered the tops of her bare legs.

“Is she safe?” Max asked, the first thing in her mind despite Chloe’s previous assurances they were safe.

“Yep… asleep,” Rachel answered softly, stroking hair out of Max’s eyes. “You… might feel a little shitty. Other you was… drinking herself stupid.”

“I don’t care… as long as everybody’s okay,” she answered, trying not to be annoyed with her other self.

“We’re all fine…” Chloe said, placing her hand on Max’s bare leg. “How do you feel?”

It took her a moment to answer as another wave of nausea assaulted her. “My head itches and… I feel sick,” she said, leaning towards Chloe who put an arm around her.

Only then did she realise she was wearing a bra and underwear, not her usual attire for bed.

“Were we… about to?”

Rachel laughed quietly and shook her head. “No… you were asleep.”

The pain in her head wasn’t going, but she wasn’t sure whether it was because of the alcohol or the use of her powers. She wanted to get up and go back to bed, but she couldn’t find the strength in her body. Remaining in Chloe’s arms, she stayed still as she recovered, allowing Rachel to fuss over her and clean the blood from her nose.

“Thank you,” she muttered, enjoying the gentle touches as she was cared for.

When she was a feeling a little better, she slowly started trying to get to her feet, helped by Chloe as Rachel went ahead of them to the bedroom. They helped her onto the bed where she lay back down in the middle, quickly sandwiched between the two girls as they got into bed either side of her.

“You’re sure she’s safe?” she asked, a nagging feeling at the back of her head.

“Positive,” Rachel whispered, leaning in to kiss Max on the side of the head.

“If you’re gonna be paranoid, we can go and check?” Chloe said, taking hold of one of Max’s hands and giving it a squeeze.

“I wanna trust you but… she snuck out and…” Max said, trying to sound apologetic.

“We understand,” Rachel said gently, sitting up once more. “Let me see if she’s awake…” she continued, starting to get off the bed when Max took her hand.

“Thank you…” she whispered as Chloe placed her arm across her stomach to hold her tight.

“Anything for you, Max,” Rachel replied flicking her hair over her shoulder as she stood up.

The blonde girl grabbed one of Chloe’s shirts from the floor and pulled it on before she left the bedroom, leaving the two of them alone together for a short time. Max rolled into Chloe’s form, nuzzling into her shoulder as the pain in her head remained constant.

“So… you saved somebody else now…” Chloe whispered as she stroked Max’s hair.

“And I didn’t return to a fucking tornado,” Max replied, the image of the storm filling the darkness behind her eyes.

She could still remember the nightmare she had endured before they’d reached the lighthouse, the continuation of it when she had returned to Arcadia Bay with Rachel. It was only now she started worrying about the effects of her jumps, whether San Francisco was now suffering through a storm, or if it was to hit Los Angeles instead.

“Turn the news on?” she asked, hoping to dispel her fears.

Before Chloe could get out of bed to retrieve the TV remote, she heard the bedroom door closing and the soft footsteps as Rachel returned.

“She’s asleep, for certain. I even gave her a kiss on the forehead to make sure she wasn’t faking it,” Rachel teased.

“Grab the remote?” Chloe asked quickly. “Max wants to check the news.”

“For the mention of a superstorm?” Rachel asked.

“Mhm,” Max nodded. She felt the bed shift as Rachel’s light weight was added to the mattress and quickly rolled over to get a hug from her as well.

“Hey… it’s okay,” Rachel cooed as she wrapped an arm around Max.

“We have a snuggle bug Max tonight,” Chloe whispered softly as she put an arm around Max’s waist and cuddled up to her.

“I just… really need you both,” Max answered, comforted by the warmth of Chloe behind her and Rachel in her arms, especially after the last couples of hours she’d suffered through.

Rachel flicked through the news channels as Max looked down the bed at the TV, looking for any sign of anomalous weather or events. They had gone through all the channels before Max finally accepted there was no sign of her powers causing untold devastation.

“No storms… nothing supernatural anyway,” Chloe said gently, kissing Max’s cheek. “It’s safe, SuperMax. You saved her.

“Then… I think it’s time to sleep.” She yawned, feeling calmer knowing everything was okay.

The three of them got a bit more comfortable together, though Max refused to allow either of them to let her go. The memory of seeing Jen lying dead on the bed was a vivid reminder of the fact Chloe had died before, that she’d had to fight her way back to her. It was a deep-seated fear, of losing the ones she cared about and loved.

She clung a little tighter to Rachel as the pain in her head persisted. Hoping the pain would go after she’d slept she tried to go to sleep. Darkness finally took her into its embrace, but she still felt awake.

Opening her eyes, she found herself in the Two Whales Diner but unlike the last time she had seen it in her nightmare visions, it was empty. She was alone looking out into the tornado, frozen in time as debris floated around it.

“Welcome back…” a girl said from behind her, causing her to spin around.

Behind the counter her doppelganger stood, chewing on a piece of food as she smirked at Max.

“You…” Max whispered, stepping back towards the doors.

“Me, again.” Maxine smiled. She walked around the counter and sat down in the same booth as before. “Come on… it’s a great view.”

Tentatively, Max sat opposite her and glanced out the window, all too aware of the storm staring in at them.

“Don’t worry, it’s not coming back,” Maxine said with a wry smile.

“Why am I here… again?” Max asked, staring at the girl opposite her.

“Max… you keep messing with time. I tried to warn you the first time, but then you went and created the tornado,” Maxine explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

“No… I’d created the tornado and then you told me…” Max frowned, confused. Maxine was playing tricks on her.

“Or so it seems. Funny thing… time,” Maxine whispered across the table.

“What do you mean?” Max asked cautiously, aware of her tormentor’s previous attempts to mess with her mind.

“Why do you keep fucking up time to save the unworthy? Jen let her girlfriend go through hell, she deserved to die and instead… you decided to risk everything to save her,” Maxine said while she played with the salt shaker.

“She does not deserve to die for that! That was Jefferson!” Max argued, narrowing her eyes at the girl opposite her.

“Like Chloe didn’t deserve to die after she manipulated you for days on end, thinking only about herself and Rachel? Or Rachel, who only ever thought about her own wishes and goals, who would have abandoned Chloe at the first chance? Who fell into bed with Jen because she didn’t want to accept you?”

“That is not true!” Max shouted, grabbing the salt shaker and throwing it across the diner. “Chloe could have left me as soon as she saw Rachel, and she didn’t… and Rachel…”

She could only think of the kiss in the rain, the beautiful moment that she had almost erased out of fear, out of shame. It was now one of her favourite memories, the rain in her hair as she kissed Rachel for the first time.

“Rachel has her flaws… but she has a beauty, too. She’s been there for me whenever I’ve needed her,” Max argued proudly.

“Do you think they’d turn back time for you?” Maxine asked, a venom in her voice. “Do you think they would mess up their heads to save you?”

“Yes. I do,” Max answered without a doubt in her mind.

“Hm, the last time we spoke, your girlfriends showed up by now,” Maxine said, looking out the window at the storm, then around the diner. “Looks like your subconscious that they’re a part of doesn’t want to play today…”

“Or maybe… I’m more confident in knowing how much they love me?” Max retorted with a smile. “I don’t need a representation of them here to bitch slap you… because I can do it myself.”

“You’ve grown… less doubt, more confidence…” Maxine purred playfully, leaning forward on the table. “I like this new you, Max… it suits you. You need to let it out more… take control of your life.”

“I am…” Max replied. She looked out at the tornado that still haunted her in her sleep when she least expected it.

“Behave… Max, and we’ll never see each other again.” Maxine said, exiting the booth and walking over to the diner entrance.

“I won’t stop saving them… I won’t give them up…” Max announced before her doppelganger could leave.

“Don’t.”

* * *

 

As she gradually started to wake up, she could feel the pain in her head behind her eyes, but she could also feel the fingers in her hair and the arm under her head. Letting out a small sigh, she snuggled a little closer into the warm body she found herself against. It was strange, waking up in bed and not knowing which of her two girlfriends she was waking up with, but it was certainly a great feeling to know she was loved by not one wonderful girl but two. Gradually she returned to her senses, the memory of the last few hours, searching so frantically for Jen.

She opened her eyes and looked into the eyes of the girl holding her. The hints of green in the hazel eyes made her smile as she realised it was Rachel who was gently stroking her hair. Before she could ask where Chloe was, she heard the bedroom door open.

“Come on, Rach… breakfast, we’ll save some for Max,” Chloe whispered, clearly trying not to wake Max.

“It’s okay…” Rachel smirked as she flicked Max’s nose with her own. “The hero’s awake.”

“She is?” Chloe asked a little louder. Max felt the bed bounce as her other girlfriend jumped onto it and leaned over her.

“I am… you big dork,” she said jokingly, trying to ignore her headache.

“Food’s been served, so stop snoozing and come on!” Chloe chuckled, first kissing Max on the cheek and then Rachel.

Chloe quickly left them alone again, giving Max a moment to look into Rachel’s eyes and appreciate the look she was giving her.

“Still a hero,” Rachel whispered. “Still saving lives…”

“You asked me to… but I was going to do it anyway.” She smiled, thinking of how she was going to have relive Jen’s death to explain it to both of them.

“How are you feeling?” Rachel asked gently, her fingers still in Max’s hair.

“I have a headache and… feel a bit weird… but it was worth the pain,” she replied.

“Let’s get you a painkiller and some breakfast,” Rachel said softly but made very little effort to get out of the bed and away from Max.

When Max heard Jen’s laughter from the lounge area she finally got out of bed, wanting to see the person she had risked everything for. Both she and Rachel pulled on bathrobes and left the bedroom, with Rachel in the lead holding Max’s hands lovingly.

Jen was sat at the dining table in a similar white bathrobe and an array of breakfast options in front of her. On the other side was Chloe, who was already dressed and tucking into her breakfast.

“Look who’s awake!” Jen smirked at Max as soon as she saw her.

She didn’t know what came over her, but as soon as Max saw Jen, she released Rachel’s hand and rushed over to the dark-haired girl, wrapping her arms around her neck and hugging her tightly.

“Whoa! Morning grope! Could have asked, I wouldn’t say no!” Jen laughed playfully as she hugged Max in return.

“Just… glad to see you,” Max muttered as she kept a tight hold on the girl she’d risked so much for.

“I… hadn’t gone far, Max,” Jen said, sounding a little confused. “Like… a different room…”

“I know… just had a bad dream and…” Max started to explain as she finally released Jen to sit beside her.

“Just a dream. Don’t worry.” Jen smiled weakly as she took hold of Max’s hand.

With a quick nod, she gave Jen a smile and kissed her cheek affectionately, still glad to see she was still alive.

After they’d finished their breakfast, they started discussing the places they should visit while they were in LA, but Max couldn’t think past the pain in her head. Even after taking a painkiller, she was aware of the constant throbbing behind her eyes.

With the plans made, they all returned to their bedrooms to get showers and get dressed, but Max was finding it too difficult to focus. She sat on the edge of the bed as she listened to Rachel in the shower and watched Chloe taking clothes out of one of their bags.

“You don’t look too good,” Chloe said as she sat beside Max.

“Just the pain… it won’t go,” she answered, more annoyed than anything.

“It’s probably the hangover, you’ll feel better with a bit of fresh air,” Chloe offered as she took a hold of Max’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “But… if you wanna stay in the hotel room? Try to sleep it off?”

“I don’t wanna be alone…” she answered sadly. “And I don’t want you to miss out on this trip.”

“Max… I’m not missing out on anything if I’m with you,” Chloe whispered warmly. “We can snuggle together and I can watch a movie while you sleep.”

“You sure?” she asked, looking into Chloe’s eyes for confirmation.

“Yeah… after what you’ve just been through, again… I’m not leaving you,” the punk girl said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Max sighed, leaning against Chloe while they waited for Rachel to get out of the shower.

Although Rachel wasn’t happy with the idea of leaving the two of them behind. She wanted pictures with them, but she accepted that Max needed time to recover from her ordeal and the alcohol her other self had decided to drink. They changed their plans so Jen and Rachel would return for lunch, giving Max some time to try to feel better. Before she left, Rachel gave both Max and Chloe a kiss, clearly reluctant to leave them but happy to be seeing some of LA.

It gave Max a chance to snuggle into Chloe for an hour, trying to fall back to sleep before she became annoyed that it wasn’t happening. She didn’t feel sleepy, but the headache hadn’t gone.

“How about a warm bath?” Chloe suggested as Max rolled over in bed for the hundredth time.

“Will it help?” Max groaned, annoyed with her other self for getting so drunk.

“Maybe… or maybe I’m just trying to get you naked?” Chloe teased, making Max smile.

“A bath sounds nice…” she answered, aware of how rude she had probably been.

“Stay here… I’ll sort it out,” Chloe said kindly, kissing Max on the forehead as she climbed out of bed.

Lying in bed, she listened to the running water, trying to let the constant rhythm soothe her ravaged mind. She closed her eyes for a moment, the image of the tornado coming to her first, then Jen’s dead body, followed closely by Chloe’s, and then finally Rachel’s look-alike in the grave. So many deaths plagued her mind, people who hadn’t deserved it. Her breathing slowed and she was close to falling asleep when Chloe woke her.

“Bath’s ready, Maxi! Hurry up!” Chloe shouted from the bathroom.

With a little reluctance, she climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She was surprised to find Chloe was already in the large bath with her clothes discarded against the sink counter, a cheerful look on her face as she hid her modesty below a layer of bubbles.

“Well? Get in.” Chloe smiled playfully.

“A bath together?” Max asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Mhm… a little romance while we try to help your head,” Chloe said gently. “I can get out if you wanna be left alone?”

“Like hell you are,” Max laughed as she unclasped her bra and slid off her underwear.

Carefully she climbed into the bath, trying not to slip or step on Chloe’s legs. With a little moving around. she was eventually leaning with her back against Chloe’s chest with her girlfriend’s arms around her waist.

She’d never had a bath with another person before, never shared the space, but she enjoyed the close contact with Chloe that wasn’t sexual. It was more relaxing than a shower together; they could just rest in each other’s presence.

“How’s your head feeling?” Chloe asked as she moved her right arm and placed it over Max’s shoulder.

“Heavy…” she answered, taking hold of Chloe’s left hand with her own. “It’s like… it’s not a hangover. I think it’s the after effect of my powers.”

“Did you ever feel this way before?”

“Not like this…” she muttered, wiggling back slightly in an attempt to be closer to Chloe.

“Have you tried using them?” Chloe said as she swished the water with her hand.

“I haven’t needed to rewind since my last cheat… and I haven’t had to freeze time since… well since the day I saved Rachel,” she answered, thinking of that day and feeling a little proud of herself.

“Well, last time you didn’t use them… you exploded,” Chloe teased gently. Their first night of passion needed no reminder, especially after how wonderful it had been.

“So what are you suggesting? I try using them a little?” Max asked, squeezing Chloe’s hand below the surface of the water, hidden by the bubbles around them.

“Maybe a small freeze? See if it helps?” Chloe offered gently. “We haven’t even tested to see if I can still go with you…”

“Nothing’s changed there, Chloe… you’re still a part of me,” she replied confidently.

Closing her eyes, she felt the power she possessed, the magnificent ability to rewind time or hold it in place. The pain behind her eyes gradually increased, making her regret her choice. Opening her eyes, she activated her power and flicked the water to test it. The ripples continued around her, but the drop that had fallen from her finger remained motionless above the water, hanging in time.

“Nice test,” Chloe whispered gently. Max relaxed, her powers still worked with Chloe. “How does your head feel?”

For a moment Max said nothing; holding the world frozen around her was taking some effort. Then she smiled as she felt the pain drifting away, decreasing, allowing her to think a little easier.

“So much better…” she sighed, easing into Chloe’s arms and resting the back of her head on Chloe’s shoulder. “Like… a weight is leaving me…”

“Nice to know your powers aren’t just for causing you pain,” Chloe said, moving her arm so she wasn’t uncomfortable and holding Max a little more firmly.

“I’m going to have to let time continue soon…” she said, looking up into Chloe’s beautiful smile.

“Can we… stay a little longer?” Chloe asked as she traced a finger up and down Max’s side below the water.

“In frozen time?” Max asked, enjoying the strange sensation.

“Yeah… just us for a little bit?”

“Anything for you…” Max smiled, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the lack of pain in her head.

Maintaining the freeze felt like it had that night in Chloe’s bedroom; it was barely noticeable and gave her the time she desired to enjoy Chloe’s comfort. As Max enjoyed the peace, Chloe started playing with the water, making a floating heart out of droplets in front of Max,  suspended as soon as they left her fingertip. Trying to impress Chloe, she added a small heart inside the first and giggled when Chloe flicked water towards it.

“Shame you didn’t bring your camera,” Chloe teased as Max looked at their crazy droplet artwork.

“I wasn’t going to bring my camera into the bathroom for naked selfies, Chloe… that’s not me…” she chuckled as she placed her arms back in the water.

“Well… yeah but what about when we make awesome water art while you’re freezing time? This shit is fucking art gold!” Chloe sniggered, tightening her grip around Max’s waist.

“Maybe… next time, or you can draw it from memory?” she replied, gently caressing her girlfriend's leg.

“I’ll definitely try to…” Chloe whispered as she kissed Max’s cheek.

Reluctantly, Max released her power and watched as the water droplets crashed into the bath or flicked against the tiled walls. Chloe’s laughter was infectious, giggling at how awesome the water display was and how great it had been to see.

“You’re… awesome, Max,” Chloe said, the affection and awe evident in her sweet voice.

“So are you…” she whispered, looking up into Chloe’s eyes.

When they were both wrinkled enough, they climbed out of the bath and wrapped themselves in towels. Chloe released the plug while Max went back into the bedroom to check their phones for any messages from Rachel. She found one on her phone.

**Rachel:**

_Be back soon! Order lunch! Miss you <3 _

“They’ll be back soon,” Max announced as Chloe entered the bedroom.

“We’d better get dressed then…” Chloe grinned. “Shame too, I was hoping for some Max time.”

“You just had it, you big perv,” Max laughed.

When Rachel and Jen got back, they all sat down to have lunch together in the hotel room, with Jen paying for the meal instead of putting it on the tab. There was nothing special about the meal, but it was all about the company. Max sat beside Jen once more and asked her a number of questions about LA, as well as if she’d managed to take pictures like she’d promised. She was aware of Rachel feeding some of her own meal to Chloe, who pulled a disgusted face at whatever she’d tried, causing Rachel to giggle at her.

After their meal, they went out to see the sights they hadn’t seen yet. Max took pictures everywhere she went, though when she checked the pile on the way to another destination, she realised just how much of her limited film supply she was using. Most of the pictures were also of Rachel and Chloe, with a few of them posing with Jen. There were hardly any of herself, like she wasn’t really there with them, just a shadow on the floor.

Rachel noticed her checking the bag, as they were sat together once more in the back of the car, and gave her a knowing smile. As soon as they reached the Griffith Observatory, Rachel begged Jen to take the pictures for them, clearly trying to get Max in as many as possible. She was pulled playfully between Chloe and Rachel as they posed in front of the scenic view, the laughter so heartfelt and wonderful. Before they left, Rachel pulled her to a railing with an amazing view of the city and posed for a few shots for Jen.

As they headed towards the Santa Monica Pier, she realised it was one of the best afternoons of her life, surrounded by the people she loved and cared about. Watching Chloe laughing with Jen and Rachel, no longer the depressed punk girl she had met in Arcadia Bay but alive, vibrant, and so full of life and love. She loved to see how happy Rachel was as well, the light in her eyes as she looked in her direction and the smile on her face.

Approaching the end of the pier, her phone started to ring, slowing her down as she checked the caller ID and saw it was her dad.

“I’ll catch up!” she called ahead to Chloe, who had stopped to see if she was okay.

With a quick nod, Chloe rushed to catch up to Rachel, wrapping her arms around the blonde girl’s waist as they looked over the railing.

“Hi, Dad, sorry I haven’t called,” Max said as soon as she answered the phone.

“Hey sweetie, how’s LA?” he said, taking her by surprise.

“Uhm… it’s good, we’re at the Santa Monica Pier right now…” she answered. “How did you know we were here?”

“A large transaction on the card sends me an alert… and a luxury suite in LA is a pretty big transaction,” he said, sounding more stern than usual. “If you’re going to be traveling, you cannot spend this kind of money on hotel rooms. There is a limit, Max.”

“I know, I just wanted to do something nice for Chloe… and a friend,” she said, looking at Jen taking pictures of Chloe and Rachel.

“This friend wouldn’t happen to be Rachel Amber, would it?” he asked. She should have known her dad would find things out; he always knew what she got up to even if she never told him.

“Yeah… it is. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s been really crazy since we found out she was alive… we’ve been up and down the west coast…”

“Yes, Joyce did call us to let us know you’d been back to Arcadia Bay. I understand Rachel is Chloe’s friend, but we never discussed a third person on your trip across the country… don’t you think this is something we should have talked about?” He sounded upset with her, something she’d always tried to avoid.

“Yes, Papa, I’m really sorry!” she answered quickly, well aware that she hadn’t been honest with him.

“Okay then. Well, we’d like to see you for Christmas. Chloe too, so I’d suggest you come back and spend some time with your family.” She knew she couldn’t say no, not after the amount of money they’d spent on the card, as well as not telling him about Rachel herself.

“Can we… bring Rach? She doesn’t want to go back to Arcadia after what happened and… we can’t exactly leave her all alone for Christmas.” It was a long shot, but she had to try. She waited for a moment, listening to her the mumble as her parents held a quick debate.

“Sure… we can make that work.”

“Thank you so much! Thank you, Papa! And thank Mom for me!” she almost squealed, glad something was going right after the night she’d had.

“Let us know your plans by text! And no more big purchases. This is your only warning.”

“I understand… well, I need to go, Chloe wants me to take some pictures!” she said, noticing Chloe and Rachel both waving at her to come over.

“Have a good time sweetheart, we love you.”

“Love you both, too! See you soon!” she replied, finally hanging up the phone and rushing over to her girlfriends.

As she reached her girlfriends, she was quickly pulled between the two of them as Jen lined up the shot to take a picture of the three of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody!
> 
> I'm really sorry for how things have slowed down lately. Real life caught up with me and I've been juggling a few things! I also hear back from a few readers after a chapter is published, and I love it! I'm sorry if I haven't managed to respond to your comments, sometimes I just don't know what to say at the time and it slips me by, or I see it and have to rush out. Believe me, I really like hearing back from you all, especially theories or ideas or where you hope the story is going!
> 
> The funniest one I'm hearing at the moment? "Is Jen going to join them?" - I thought this was an AmberPriceField story! 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm already working on the next one, hopefully, you won't be waiting as long. 
> 
> For anybody who doesn't follow me on twitter, I'd like you to know that at the end of Defy Fate I will be making a small announcement so... more hype!


	32. Enjoying the Vacation

After watching the sunset from the Santa Monica Pier, the four girls decided to take a slow walk on the beach, carrying their socks and shoes as they talked about their day. Rachel put a little pressure on Max’s arm to slow her down, allowing Chloe and Jen to get ahead of them as they talked between them. True to her talent, Max quickly pulled out her camera and took a snap of the two girls ahead of them. It was a brilliant shot as the two walked side by side with their boots in their hands, their similar styles contrasted only by Jen’s long black hair with the buzzcut on the side, and Chloe’s shorter vibrant blue that Rachel adored. If she didn’t know better, she’d have assumed the two were a couple taking a late evening stroll.

“Nice eye…” Rachel whispered as she pressed the side of her head to Max’s.

“I can see why Jen caught yours,” Max replied as she fiddled with their art bag to put the camera and picture away.

“You know… it wasn’t just her looks,” Rachel responded, keeping her arm around Max’s waist. “It’s her personality too…”

“She is hella fucking cool,” Max said quietly. “Pretty, too.”

“Have you been eyeing up our friend?” Rachel teased gently, trying to get Max to blush.

“What? No, I only have eyes for two girls… wow, that sounds…”

“Cute.” Rachel finished for her.

“I’m glad you met her,” Max whispered, surprising Rachel slightly. “If… you hadn’t then she’d be gone, and we wouldn’t have… this.” She kissed Rachel on the cheek, causing them both to stumble on the sand slightly at the sudden shift in balance.

“This day has been so fucking incredible… you’ve all been so amazing and it’s been so fun and… now I’m walking on Santa Monica beach and…” she sighed happily as she looked up at the darkened sky and the specks of stars. “I owe this to you, Max.”

“No you don’t,” Max retorted with a smile in her voice.

“Yes… I do,” she quickly countered, looking at the petite girl who she had yearned to be with for so months. “So stop arguing with me… I always get my way,” she teased.

They walked a little behind Jen and Chloe for a short while longer, whispering between themselves. The topic of Christmas came up, where Max mentioned going to Seattle to see her family. At first, Rachel wasn’t sure, especially as she would be meeting them for the first time. After a little persuasion and assurances from the petite girl, Rachel finally accepted the idea. She wasn’t going to try to keep Max from her family, even if her own sucked.

Jen and Chloe stopped ahead of them and looked back, waiting for them to catch up. Chloe had a mischievous twinkle in her pretty blue eyes and so did Jen, which made Rachel a little suspicious of the two of them.

“Blue’s hungry… so… should we head back to the hotel? Or would you both like to eat us out?” Jen asked quickly, a smirk tugging at her lips.

At first, Rachel thought she had misheard her but then laughed and shook her head. “I vote for the hotel… Max?”

“I wouldn’t mind eating out…” the innocent girl said, making the three of them crack up. “What did I say?” Max asked, confusion on her sweet face.

“Jen asked if you wanted to eat us out…” Chloe said slowly, making Max blush and Jen laugh harder.

“Asshole,” Max murmured as she buried her face in Choe’s shoulder.

“Back to the hotel then?” Rachel said, trying to deflect for Max’s embarrassment.

“Sounds good,” Jen grinned. “How about… a race back across the beach?” she asked, looking between them.

“Too easy…” Rachel teased, crossing her arms over he chest. “Piggyback race instead?”

“What teams?” Jen asked, clearly happy to make it more of a challenge.

“Chloe and me against you two…” Max said, a smile on her face. “Losers… uhm…”

“Eat the winners out,” Jen teased, sticking her tongue out at Chloe.

“Fuck’s sake, you’re always so sexual,” Chloe laughed as she shook her head.

“I haven’t gotten laid in weeks… my bit on the side got all committed,” Jen retorted, putting her arm around Rachel’s shoulders and giving her a squeeze.

“Yeah… and she doesn’t want you taking one of her girlfriends’ to bed,” Rachel teased gently.

“So… losers do what?” Jen asked with a smile before she gave Rachel a friendly kiss on the side of the head.

“Losers have to kiss?” Max shrugged, causing Rachel to roll her eyes.

“Max… the idea of the punishment is for the losers to do something embarrassing or that they don’t want to do,” she explained.

“Yeah, I have no problem kissing Rachel’s face off…” Jen giggled happily. “In fact… for me that would be a reward. I may just throw the race.”

“Then you think of something,” Max sighed with resignation.

“Losers drive home tomorrow, winners get to relax,” Chloe offered, pulling her beanie off her head and shoving it in a pocket.

“Deal!” Jen said, handing Rachel her boots.

Max took Chloe’s boots from her before jumping up onto her back, with Chloe letting out a playful groan.

“Wow, Max, you’ve put on some weight,” Chloe teased.

“Well I am older, dork,” Max retorted.

Rachel jumped on Jen’s back and kept a tight hand on their shoes and boots, trying not to drop them. She wanted to win, and dropping their things would be a sure way to lose. 

“You’re as light as I remember…” Jen whispered over her shoulder.

“Don’t tease,” she retorted. “Ready, Chloe?” she asked, looking at the girls beside her.

“Yeah… let’s do this!” Chloe answered.

“Ready… Go!” Rachel shouted.

Jen and Chloe started racing across the sand back towards the pier with Max and Rachel on their backs. They laughed as they were neck and neck on the uneven surface, trying not to fall flat on their faces. 

“Come on, Jen!” she growled into the girl’s ear, trying to push her to win.

Max was giggling close by, clearly having fun and Rachel couldn’t blame her. None of them saw it coming when Chloe started to slip and crashed into Jen, sending them all head over heels, sprawling onto the sand, their shoes dropped in the chaos of the moment. There was no wincing or grumbling of pain, just the four of them laughing at the stupidity of the moment as they lay in the sand around each other. 

“Cheater!” Jen shouted through her laughter.

“Bullshit! You fell into me!” Chloe retorted just as loudly, to laughter from Max who had somehow ended up next to Rachel.

“I don’t want this trip to end!” Rachel sighed, rolling onto her back. She didn’t care about getting more sand in her clothes.

“It ain’t over yet!” Jen replied cheerfully. “I might be able to raid my savings… give us another night?”

“You can’t do that!” Max protested.

“Yeah, that isn’t right,” Rachel agreed.

“Who the fuck else am I gonna spend it on? I don’t want it to end, either…” Jen said, taking hold of Rachel’s hand. “Come on… let me do something nice for you three, especially after what you’ve done for me…”

“We’ll think about it…” Chloe replied. “After we’ve eaten… come on, I’m starving.”

When they finally returned to their hotel room, they got changed and decided to enjoy dinner in the restaurant instead of in their room. To Rachel’s surprise, Jen was actively eyeing up one of the waitresses who was serving them, laughing with her whenever she came over or keeping her attention a little longer than she should. Rachel didn’t know whether it made her feel jealous or happy, but she knew how sociable Jen could be. Instead, she tried to keep her attention on Chloe and Max, who had sat next to each other on the other side of the table. They were going through Max’s large pile of photographs, but also trying to keep her included by passing them to her, too. 

“I like this one…” she said, holding up one of all four of them, clustered together trying to get them all in the shot.

“It’s definitely a keeper.” Max smiled. “What do you think, Jen?”

“Huh? What?” Jen asked, looking around at them as they clearly stole her attention away from the pretty waitress.

“You know… if you’re going to spend all night staring at her, ask for her number…” Rachel smirked as she passed the picture back to Max.

“Nah… we’re going home tomorrow if you three don’t wanna stay longer,” Jen replied, picking up her class of Coca-Cola and taking a sip. “Plus… she’s taken.”

“How do you know that?” Rachel asked, glancing at the waitress as she took an order from a table nearby.

“She’s wearing an engagement ring,” Jen chuckled when she noticed Rachel’s gaze.

“So why are you still chatting her up?” Max asked as she put away some of her photos.

“It’s fun… and there’s nothing wrong with making friends,” Jen answered as the waitress walked past and smiled kindly at her. “See?”

“You’re… just… a walking girl magnet…” Rachel groaned, leaning back in her chair.

“Babe magnet…” Jen corrected her with a smirk. “I only attract the best… like Chloe.”

“What about me?” Chloe asked with a frown.

“You attract hot girls. Just look at your two girlfriends!” Jen answered before taking another sip of her drink.

“She’s right… you do,” Rachel smirked happily, but Max was shaking her head. “I’m not hot, Max?” she asked, knowing it wasn’t about her, but trying to pay the petite girl a compliment.

“You’re the hot one… I’m just… normal,” Max said, putting away the remaining pictures and sitting back in her seat. 

“You are hot… in your own way,” Chloe said, putting her arm around Max.

“Is everybody finished?” Jen asked suddenly, looking between them.

“Uh, yeah I guess?” Rachel answered with a frown.

“Cool, I’ll pay, you guys go on up and… I’ll be up in a bit, okay?” Jen said with a wink.

“Seriously? You’re not gonna come with us?” Max asked, her concern evident in her voice.

“I wanna hit the bar… see if I can get any interest,” Jen grinned as she opened her shirt to show off her midriff. She was wearing a similar top to the previous night, something that could show off her incredible body. “Wish me luck?”

“Are you gonna be bringing them back to our room?” Rachel asked as the three of them started to get up, with Max passing Jen one of the room keys.

“Maybe… I’ll text you though, okay? I won’t leave you worrying,” the dark-haired girl said with a grin. “Don’t worry, I’ll text you in an hour, at the latest.”

“Alright…” Rachel agreed reluctantly.

“And let me know if you decide about an extra night!” Jen called after them as they headed towards the restaurant exit.

As Rachel reached the double doors, she had a quick glance back and saw Jen chatting with the waitress again, but also noticed the waitress had a jacket in her hand. She didn’t get to see much more, as Max gently tugged her through the doors so they could go back to their suite.

* * *

 

Back in their room, Chloe kicked off her boots and was already halfway to the couches when she noticed neither Max or Rachel were with her. She turned back to check on them and laughed when she saw them knocking more loose sand out of their shoes and off the bottom of their socks. 

“Wear boots in future.” Chloe winked as she showed off her sand-free socks.

“Show-off…” Max muttered with a small smile. “So… do we want to stay another day?” she asked as she leaned against the dining table and removed the art bag.

“I don’t mind… it’s not like we have jobs to get back to,” Chloe answered, sitting down on one of the couches and getting comfy in the corner.

“Rach? What do you think?” Max said, looking at the blonde-haired girl who was still brushing sand from her sock.

“Hm? Oh… I wouldn’t say no…” Rachel shrugged as she finally appeared satisfied her feet were sand free.

“Something on your mind?” Chloe asked as she watched the blonde girl approach, sitting down beside her on the couch.

“Should we have left Jen alone? I mean… we came all this way to keep her safe,” Rachel said, leaning into Chloe so they could get comfy together.

“We can’t babysit her for her whole life,” Chloe argued, glancing at Max to make sure she was okay with how they were sitting.

“I know… I can still worry about her,” Rachel replied, rubbing Chloe’s thigh gently.

“Selfie just in case?” Max asked, reaching into her art bag.

“You can’t do those all our lives either,” Chloe chuckled as she put an arm around Rachel, enjoying how close they were.

Max sat on the other couch and stretched out, apparently happy to allow Chloe and Rachel to have a little time cuddled together. Chloe kept a close eye on Max, worried about how she may be feeling, but the petite girl seemed content in their presence without the need for any contact.

“I’ve been wondering…” Chloe started to say, recalling her thoughts from the previous day. “Will we ever tell Jen about the Dark Room shit? She’ll find out eventually.”

“Are you kidding? She’ll freak!” Rachel answered first, shaking her head. “I don’t want to lose her because she thinks we’re fucking psychos…”

“If you or Max become famous… then people will know you went through it and that Max and I found out the truth. It’s not going to go away,” Chloe argued gently. “It’ll be worse if she finds out from somebody else…” she pressed, sadly thinking about how she’d found out about Frank and Rachel.

“She won’t believe us…” Max said, resting her head on the arm of the couch. “Think how much I had to do to prove it to you.”

“I believed you…” Rachel offered, a firm tone to her voice.

“You didn’t really have much choice,” Max chuckled. “Your best friend’s time-traveling girlfriend just came through time and saved you.”

“Mhm… and I could have ignored the ramblings of this weird little petite thing and gone to the cops,” Rachel retorted, taking hold of Chloe’s hand. “Instead… I listened, and I believed you.”

“But Jen… she won’t,” Max argued again, her eyes on the two of them.

“Then rewind it and we’ll think of something else,” Chloe offered, resting her cheek on Rachel’s head. “But… if she’s our best friend, she deserves to know.”

“When we get back to San Francisco…” Max said firmly, stretching her arms above her head before shuffling to get comfy on her couch. “I don’t want another half day like today… not if we’re staying for another one.”

“I think it’s decided then,” Rachel sniggered, moving to get her phone out of her pocket.

“Another day?” Chloe asked.

“Another day… more sights…” Rachel grinned as she tapped away on the phone to send a message.

“I’ll need more polaroid film,” Max added quickly. “We’ve taken a lot of pictures…”

“But tonight is more drinking; we have no idea when we’re going to get another chance to just chill the fuck out,” Chloe said as she watched Rachel’s phone screen, surprised by how things had changed. In Arcadia Bay, Rachel had been far more secretive with her phone.

“With Jen… she’ll find a way,” Max smirked, rolling onto her side.

“She always does,” Rachel laughed as she dropped her phone on the couch beside them.

Since Jen had decided not to return with them to the suite, Chloe was grateful for the time they would get to spend together and hear Max’s story. At first, it took some time to get the petite girl to tell them what had happened, but once she started talking, she was able to explain how they’d found Jen and the depths she could go to when she was suffering. Rachel appeared to understand it best, but hearing about how they’d found Jen made Chloe’s stomach knot. To be used as she was dying was not something she ever wanted to consider.

“So… she just stopped… caring?” Rachel asked sadly as Max finished her tale.

“I think that conversation with her Mom caused it,” Chloe said. “I mean… it still would have happened, outside source and all.” She shrugged, trying to think in four dimensions, something she’d tried to consider during the week of the storm.

“Maybe…” Max sighed gently. “If we do tell her about my powers, or the Dark Room, we need to tell her about this as well.”

“That could upset her…” Chloe replied, shaking her head.

“No. She’d actually be really grateful that you cared enough to risk everything for her,” Rachel said as she took hold of one of Chloe’s hands. “I know I was… to know what Max risked for me.”

“I’m definitely proud of her,” Chloe smiled, making Max blush and look away from the two of them.

“Still cute,” Rachel giggled softly.

With everything from the other timeline explained, Rachel started explaining the current one to Max, specifically what Max had missed. Chloe decided not to tell Max she had entered a competition, not yet anyway. She didn’t want the girl to worry now that there was nothing she could do about it. Max seemed surprised to hear how she had wanted to play Truth or Dare, but also gave a smirk.

“I definitely wouldn’t mind playing…” Max said, surprising Chloe.

“So… you wouldn’t mind if Rach dared Jen to kiss me? Or if Rach kissed Jen?” Chloe asked, wondering just how twisted Max had become now that she’d found her libido.

“You might be right, I still feel a bit weird when I see you two kiss,” Max answered with a small nod.

“You’re not alone,” Rachel muttered. “But then I try to remind myself… I have you both, and part of that is sharing you, too.”

As the conversation turned back to their time in San Francisco, Chloe realised she couldn’t ever get bored of listening to Rachel and Max voicing their enthusiasm for the things they enjoyed. Wondering if they’d ever get along was one thing, but seeing them together throughout the day having fun was always great to see.

When Rachel got up to get them all beers, Max moved onto the couch with Chloe, leaving space between them for their blonde girlfriend. Rachel returned and passed them their beers as she joined them on the couch once more, cuddling up to the punk girl but resting her legs over Max’s, keeping them all connected in some way. The petite girl showed no sign of her previous shyness, caressing Rachel’s leg as they all talked about Christmas and the upcoming visit to Seattle.

After almost an hour, Rachel finally received a text from Jen, which she quickly showed to Chloe and Max.

**Jen:**

_ Be another hour or so, made a friend! Want a picture? Xx _

“Say yes!” Max said playfully before sipping on her beer.

**Rachel:**

_ Of course! Don’t leave us hanging! Xo _

“Before she responds… I bet it’s the waitress!” Rachel grinned as she put the phone screen down on her leg.

“No way… some rich businesswoman who likes hot punks,” Chloe countered, not quite sure where the compliment came from.

“Maybe you should be down there then,” Rachel said as she bit teasingly at Chloe’s neck.

“It’s the waitress…” Max smirked, clearly agreeing with Rachel. “Before we left she was talking to her again.”

The phone vibrated on Rachel’s leg to alert them to a new text. “Moment of truth,” Rachel grinned, flipping the phone over and opening the picture.

“Told you,” Max laughed as they all looked at the picture of Jen and the waitress who was winking at the camera.

“Well seeing as she’s having fun…” Rachel smirked as she pocketed her phone. “What should we do?” 

“Wanna watch a movie on the big ass TV?” Max asked, pointing to the large TV on the wall.

“Oh fuck yes… imagine Blade Runner on that baby,” Chloe grinned as Max reached for the remote on the coffee table.

“I’d rather watch something else…” Rachel whispered as she moved around to face more towards the TV.

With the remote in hand, Max snuggled into Rachel as well, resting her bottle on the blonde girl’s hips while she clicked through the available channels and movie options. Chloe was paying more attention to the two girls again, admiring the freckles on Max’s cheeks and the way Rachel’s lips moved when she sipped from her beer bottle. 

_ Just keep perving… _ Chloe thought to herself as the pulled the beanie from her head and let out a sigh. 

“Hey, you okay?” Rachel asked, a look of concern in her eyes.

“Just… living in shock,” Chloe smirked as she noticed the same worried look in Max’s eyes.

“Shock at what?” Max asked, resting her chin on Rachel’s side.

“That… we’re here. I have you both and… I’m not in Arcadia fucking Bay!” Chloe almost laughed, looking at the two girls who had kept her alive, literally saving her life in Max’s case.

“I remember that feeling,” Rachel purred as she kissed Chloe’s right arm. “We’re here, and we’re yours. Now… stop hyperventilating about it.”

Max sniggered and wrapped an arm around Rachel to hold Chloe’s hand, squashing the blonde girl between them as they snuggled up tightly to watch their movie together. Before the film progressed too far, Max climbed off the couch to dim the lights. On her way back to the couch, she collected a few more bottles of beer and placed them on the coffee table. Rachel had taken the opportunity to take off one of her upper layers, revealing her light blue vest top and the straps of her bra on her shoulders. The petite girl seemed to agree with the idea and removed a top layer of her own before sitting back down and cuddling back into Rachel.

* * *

 

As Max woke up, she felt the pain behind her eyes just like the previous day. It wasn’t morning yet; it was the pain that had woken her up. They hadn’t drunk enough for it to be a hangover; they’d barely got to the end of the movie before Rachel had started her more amorous advances on Max. Trying to go back to sleep in the hope it would go away, she rolled onto her side, cuddled into Rachel’s naked body, and kissed her shoulder softly. It was still strange for Max to be in bed with another girl, naked. As kids, she’d slept in the same bed as Chloe, but she hadn’t known her sexuality back then; she hadn’t discovered it until the week with Chloe when seeing her gave her butterflies. She felt so self-conscious with two very beautiful, naked girls in the same bed with her, like she could never match up to them.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to allow sleep to overtake her senses, but the pain wouldn’t leave her. It wasn’t as painful, but it was a consistent pulsing in her head. For a moment, she thought about waking Chloe and freezing time with her, to grant her a reprieve from the pain. Reluctantly, she slipped out of bed and pulled on her underwear and a vest top, careful not to trip over the clothes they had discarded across the floor as they’d come rushing into the bedroom for some intimate time together. She checked the time on a small digital clock in the room and sighed. Two in the morning, which was unusual for the three of them to already be in bed and asleep. They could spend hours talking normally.

Flicking on the light, she went into the bathroom and looked at her eyes in the mirror, noticing the bloodshot. It worried her to think this may become her life, waking up with a pain in her head and having to use her powers to get rid of it. With a sigh, she tapped into her powers and pushed time to a standstill, observing the effects it had on her in the mirror. There were no telltale signs of her ability, no evident appearance on her face, but the pain was receding. She held the power for some time, giving her the precious time to relax and get lost in frozen time. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw movement and spun around to check. There were no ghosts of memories in the room with her; she hadn’t activated that part of her power, but she was certain she’d seen something in the mirror.

Turning back to the mirror, she jumped when she saw a blue butterfly on her shoulder. Out of shock and panic, she released her power, and the butterfly was gone. For a moment she eyed herself in the mirror, wondering if she was starting to lose it, whether she’d done some kind of irreparable damage to her head. She considered rushing to wake Chloe and Rachel, to tell them what she had seen, but she didn’t want to upset them or cause them concern. They’d already been through enough strange things because of her.

_ But they love you… so talk to them, dork.  _ She told herself as she looked into her own blue eyes.  _ Only if it happens again… _ She decided with a gentle sigh.

She washed her face to try to clear her mind and relax, then noticed a small bite on her neck and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She couldn’t recall which of her girlfriends had given it to her; both Rachel and Chloe had ample opportunity to bite her neck.

When she returned to the bedroom, she was about to climb back into bed when she heard the distinctive lock of the suite door. She decided to peek around their bedroom door to investigate, her curiosity getting the better of her. Jen entered first, issuing a discreet shushing sound as a second girl entered the room. Max recognised her as the waitress from earlier, even though her hair had been freed from its ponytail and a jacket covered her uniform. Trying not to snoop on her best friend, Max turned to go back to bed when she heard Jen’s voice.

“Want another drink… or…?” she said, a playful note in her voice.

“I think we’ve drunk enough…” the other girl said with a hint of a giggle. “And normally I don’t do this so… you better show me you were worth breaking my rule for.”

“Oh, I think I can manage that,” Jen chuckled.

Max heard the other bedroom door close and laughed quietly to herself, hoping the walls were thick enough so she could go back to sleep without having to listen to what Jen was about to get up to.

Climbing back into bed, she was about to snuggle into Rachel’s back again when the blonde girl rolled over and pressed against her instead, her fingernails scratching into Max’s leg as Rachel pulled her closer.

“Was that Jen?” Rachel mumbled sleepily, nuzzling into Max’s neck.

“She just got back,” Max whispered as she tentatively ran a finger over Rachel’s bare leg.

“Mmm… don’t do that,” Rachel breathed, nipping playfully at Max’s neck.

She stopped teasing her but felt Rachel’s hand on her side, pulling her vest top up off her hips. They knew each other’s bodies fairly intimately, but without Chloe’s involvement, she felt different about it. The two of them hadn’t actually had time to be intimate since they’d become a triad, and teasing one another with Chloe in the bed felt rude to Max. But she wanted that intimacy, the thing she had been forced to refuse and bury to the back of her mind for so long. She felt Rachel’s lips on her neck and let out a soft sigh.

“Are you always horny?” she muttered as Rachel’s hand worked her vest top up some more.

“You teased me…” Rachel whispered, nipping at her earlobe.

“Not on purpose,” Max retorted as quietly as possible, tracing her fingertips over Rachel’s bare side. “I’m still a little worn out from earlier…” she admitted quietly, trying not to think about both Rachel’s and Chloe’s lips on her body and arouse herself further.

“Then I won’t make you pass out,” Rachel whispered softly. “But… you can’t sleep in this,” she continued, pulling at the vest top until Max took it off once more.

Placing her arm around Max’s waist, Rachel gave a gentle tug so their bare breasts were pressed against each other’s. With a gentle kiss on the lips, Max knew she’d missed a chance to have some intimacy with Rachel, but she also knew how much she wanted it as well. The desire hadn’t gone away; Rachel wasn’t a temptation because she was forbidden to her. She really loved the blonde-haired girl, despite her original jealousy when Chloe had first described their friendship.

“Shall we go to the beach in the morning?” Rachel asked quietly, drawing Max back from her thoughts.

“You wanna play in the sand again?” Max said playfully, thinking of the sand they’d already brought back with them in their shoes.

“Mhm, I wanna have a fun day.” Rachel said, touching her head to Max’s. “No more sightseeing, just… relaxing.”

“That sounds good to me,” Max answered with a smile, glad they were once again getting back to enjoying life after the drama that had been thrust upon them.

For a moment, she thought about telling Rachel about her strange vision, the butterfly on her shoulder. She wanted the assurance that she wasn’t going crazy, that it was the trick of the light or something to do with her powers, but she didn’t want to upset her.

“Rach…” she whispered, half hoping the girl was already asleep so she wouldn’t have to admit she was going crazy.

“Hm?” Rachel responded sleepily, her warm breath on Max’s lips.

She bit her lip, torn between her two choices. Reluctantly she decided to wait, to tell them both in the morning or the next time it happened. 

“I love you…” she said instead, feeling the warmth of the emotions she felt for Rachel.

“Love you too, babe,” Rachel mumbled sleepily, kissing Max once more before falling back to sleep.


	33. Glimpsing the Past

After years of being unable to sleep properly, Chloe was finding it came easier to her now that she had both Max and Rachel in her life. She felt more relaxed, with a feeling of purpose that she had lost for so long. It wasn’t as though she had never been inspired by Rachel, but she always felt like she was waiting for her to leave school, waiting for her to arrive at the junkyard, or waiting for a text to say she was safe. 

For a short while, she watched the two girls sleeping beside her and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. Thinking how her life had taken such a strange turn when her childhood friend had returned to her life. From her amazing abilities to saving Rachel, and the love they all felt for each other, it was like a dream, and she still couldn’t believe it had happened. After placing a gentle kiss on Rachel’s neck, she reluctantly climbed out of bed and got dressed then checked the time on her phone. It was still early, but it meant they were in time for breakfast.

Stumbling from the bedroom into the lounge, she noticed Jen closing the suite door with a wide grin on her face, wearing just a vest top and barely visible underwear.

“Have a good night?” Chloe asked with a smirk as she crossed the room to sit on the couch.

“Fuck yeah…” Jen replied with a wink as she followed Chloe and sat down on the couch with her. “I think she’s left a hickey on my thigh though…”

“On your thigh?” Chloe sniggered.

“Yeah… could you…” Jen started to say.

“Fuck no, no way,” Chloe answered, picking up the breakfast menu from the coffee table.

“I’ll have to ask Rach then… she won’t be so shy,” Jen laughed, leaning a little closer than usual.

“Uh-huh…” Chloe said, trying not to recall the fact Jen and Rachel had been sleeping together in the past and failing. “So… what should we have this morning?” she asked, trying to change the topic.

Jen chuckled quietly and put an arm on Chloe’s shoulder as she stared at her. “Do I make you nervous or jealous?” she asked as a smile tugged at her lips.

“Neither,” Chloe answered, frowning at the menu but unable to focus on the letters.

“Come on, Blue… I know that look,” Jen said, stroking Chloe’s hair behind her ear and making her move her head away slightly.

“Maybe… a little jealous,” she finally admitted, closing the menu and dropping it on her lap.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Jen said as she moved away and gave Chloe her space.

“It’s not… it’s just…” She sighed as the emotions she was feeling tore at her insides, the need to scream about how unfair the whole thing was. “She… goes away and falls into bed with you, while I’m crying every fucking night missing her.”

“It wasn’t exactly falling into bed… we had to drink a lot before…” Jen stopped talking and bit her lip. “She was pretty convinced you and Max were a thing, even if you managed to bed her before they left.”

“It’s… really fucking complicated,” she groaned, tipping her head back onto the couch as she tried to suppress the feelings. She knew how risky it was to talk to Jen about that time period, in case she let anything slip.

“Well, it worked out right? I’m the fourth wheel to your beautiful little triad pile,” Jen smirked, pulling her feet up onto the couch and poking Chloe’s leg with her toes.

“Yeah… I really can’t believe how it worked out. Little hippie and the hot punk queen getting along…” she nodded and let out a small laugh.

“I think they do more than get along,” Jen chuckled. “Rach really loves you, Blue… I was just a distraction while she didn’t think there was a chance. I’d probably still be her distraction if it hadn’t gone so well.”

“You really don’t like relationships, do you?” Chloe asked, shifting her position to look at Jen a little better.

“Well… no. Liz is… unique,” Jen answered gently, resting her head against her hand with her elbow on the back of the couch. “I can’t replace her.”

“It’s not replacement,” Chloe argued gently, thinking about how Rachel had at first seemed like a replacement for Max. Instead, the blonde girl had found her own place in Chloe’s heart. “It’s more like… Jen it’s different. Like Max is one thing, but Rachel is something else, and they both just make it all fucking worth it.”

“I can see that. Can I be blunt?” Jen asked with a small grin.

“Always…” Chloe nodded with a small shrug.

“When I first met Max, she had sexy black hair and… if Rach hadn’t told me that was Max, I would have tried to bed her, fucking instantly. She oozes this cute little petite sexiness and… oh, you’re one lucky bitch.” They both laughed at Jen’s confession, even if it was about Max and how much Jen wanted her.

“Okay, I am not going to blame you for that… Max is definitely unique and seeing her with black hair was… oh my heart skipped a beat,” Chloe admitted with a grin. “The last I’d seen her, she had mousy brown hair. Then suddenly I’m getting tackled by this dark-haired babe and wondering just what the fuck happened.”

“But Rach… she gets under your skin…” Jen said, glancing towards the bedroom door with a frown on her face. “You’re lucky, Blue. To have both of those girls who love you so much.”

“You could find somebody easily though! Girls fucking love you,” Chloe argued again.

“Nah… Blue, I like my one night of passion or a buddy to enjoy but… I can’t see myself committing to anybody like I did Liz,” Jen replied with a smile, but Chloe could see the sadness in her eyes.

Chloe was about to discuss it further with her, hoping to help her past the place she was in, when Max came into the lounge yawning and stretching. The petite girl was as undressed as Jen, with a small vest top covering her body and a pair of small shorts.

“Morning,” Max yawned again, sitting on the other couch and tipping sideways to rest her head on the arm of it.

“Morning babe,” Chloe said.

“Good morning sleepy, I’m surprised to see you up before Rachel,” Jen commented with a grin. “What did you two do to her last night?” she smirked playfully.

“Showed her how much we loved her,” Max said playfully as she leaned over and took the breakfast menu from Chloe.

“Whatever you say,” Jen chuckled. “I’m going to grab a shower while you order room service,” she said, sitting up and giving Chloe a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for the talk, Blue.” 

Max looked at Chloe with a confused frown on her face, but said nothing as Jen left them in the lounge. The dark-haired girl closed her bedroom door behind her and Max almost burst into asking questions.

“What did you two talk about? She okay?” she asked quickly.

“We talked about you and Rach, a bit about Liz, and how Jen still won’t have relationships,” Chloe answered, moving over to Max’s couch and sitting with her. “She also had a good night herself; I saw her closing the door when I came in.”

“Oh yeah, I saw her come back last night when…” Max went quiet as she looked through the menu, then continued. “I woke up in the night, went to the bathroom, and heard the door. She came back with that waitress.”

“I thought she was engaged?” Chloe said, wondering if Jen had any boundaries.

“We’ll ask her later…” Max responded. “Okay, so… breakfast, what should we order?”

With a grin Chloe, took the phone from the side to order food service. “Watch and learn, Caulfield,” she teased.

When there was a knock at the door, Chloe answered it while Max went into the bedroom to change and wake Rachel. The waiter was polite, issuing a good morning as he moved in the multiple trays with meals, placing them carefully on the dining table. Chloe stayed out of his way, but thanked him when he was done and gave him a kind tip. 

Lifting the lids on the trays, she appreciated the smell of the food, reminded of the mornings at the Two Whales Diner. While she was glad they were no longer in Arcadia Bay, she did sometimes miss her mom, even if they did have their differences. She was about to send her a text when Jen exited her bedroom in her attire for the day. Once again, she was showcasing her enviable figure in tight jeans and a tight shirt, completely at odds to the baggy jeans she had worn in San Francisco.

“Fucking good timing,” she grinned, pulling out a chair and sitting at the dining table. “Max getting Rach?” she asked, leaning forward to get a glass of orange juice from the tray.

“Yeah, probably waking her up with a morning grope,” Chloe grinned, trying not to feel the small amount of jealousy that could still invade her emotions.

“Go help her, morning fucks can be great,” Jen sniggered before taking a sip from the glass.

“Still so sexual, and you’ve been laid now so what’s your excuse this time?” Chloe asked as she sat down at the table beside her.

“I want the food to myself…?” Jen shrugged, looking past Chloe. “Speak of the devils,” she chuckled.

Looking around, Chloe saw Rachel and Max coming out of the bedroom holding hands while Rachel yawned and stretched her neck. The blonde girl released Max’s hand as she tied up her hair, allowing Max to sit down at the table.

“Morning,” Rachel sighed as she sat down with Max and reached for one of the glasses of orange juice.

“Good night?” Jen teased, passing a plate of toast to Max.

“Best night yet,” Rachel answered sleepily. “Max has a talented…”

“Say another word and I’ll never forgive you,” Max quickly said, making Chloe laugh.

“Alright…” Rachel smirked and kissed Max on the cheek. “So… how about you?” she asked.

“Turns out that waitress isn’t engaged… she uses the ring to stop men from propositioning her,” Jen answered with a grin as they continued to pass around the food from the trays until everybody had what they wanted.

“Didn’t stop you, then…” Chloe commented before taking a bite of her bacon.

“She came onto me, after I’d been talking to her all evening,” Jen said happily. “I love it when they come to me… like Rach,” she chuckled.

“Oh, come on… we’re not talking about that over breakfast, or in front of my girlfriends,” Rachel said with a shake of her head.

Once again, Chloe felt the surge of jealousy she had come to expect when hearing about Rachel with Jen. She knew it was over and that relationship had ended, but it still felt strange to her, especially after finding out about Rachel’s relationship with Frank.

“Alright… so while we have time to talk, what are we gonna do today?” Jen asked with a smirk.

“Have you told Kelly we’ll be another day?” Max asked through a mouthful of waffles.

“Yep, and she’s fine with it. Doesn’t need her car back, happy for her time with Brooke,” Jen explained as she ate her own food.

“Okay… so the day… let’s go to the beach,” Rachel grinned. “I know it’s November but… we can always rent some bikes and go for a ride, or enjoy the view or… anything other than going to museums.”

“I like the sound of that,” Max added.

“I like it too,” Jen grinned happily. “Blue, you in?”

“Of course!” Chloe nodded, happy to do whatever her two girls wanted to do. As long as she had time with them, she didn’t really mind what they got up to as long as they made the memories together.

After they’d all finished their breakfast, Max and Rachel returned to their bedroom to get ready for the day ahead, leaving Jen and Chloe together to clean up the dining table. They joked and talked, but never returned to their earlier conversation. 

Returning to their suite later that evening, after dining out in the city, the four girls were in high spirits. They’d had an incredible day at the beach and the attractions on the Santa Monica Pier. Max had taken more pictures of them on the ferris wheel, and a very intimate one of Chloe and Rachel kissing at the end of the pier. That one had gone straight in Chloe’s wallet despite Max’s attempts to give it to Rachel.

They sat on the couches to talk some more, their stomachs full from their meal but still able to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine. Rachel pulled Max to cuddle into her, almost possessively, but it left space on the couch for Chloe to sit with them, something she was grateful for. Jen once again had a couch to herself, something she never complained about, especially as she was once again stretching out with her midriff on show.

“You know… when we get you to speak about Liz, she sounds so awesome,” Rachel said when there was a lull in the conversation.

“She was…” Jen said with a small smile.

“You’ve never told us how you two…  got together,” Max commented as she rest her head on Rachel’s shoulder. 

Jen frowned for a moment, looking down at her beer bottle. “Uhm…”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t… I’m so sorry,” Max said, trying to wiggle free of Rachel’s embrace.

“No, it’s fine… you’re right actually,” Jen said with a small smirk. “I guess… Brooke and Kelly always knew but you three… yeah okay, you want a story?” She smiled.

“Seriously?” Rachel asked as Max stopped trying to escape her grip.

“Well, it’s not like we can play games tonight and… it’s a good memory of her,” Jen said, quickly wiping an eye. “So… you wanna know how Liz and I started off?”

“Go for it.” Chloe nodded, wondering just how difficult this was going to be for the girl.

“I guess I should start at the beginning?” Jen smirked, tapping her ring on the bottle as she appeared to be thinking.

“Definitely! I want all the dirt on the legendary Jen!” Rachel chuckled, only to be nudged in the side by Max. “Don’t nudge me… or I’m gonna steal you away and neither of us will hear the story.”

“Okay… fine… story first,” Max replied quietly before sipping on her drink.

“I… never thought I’d ever be rejected,” Rachel teased, staring at Chloe as though in shock.

“She’s not rejecting you… she wants the story,” Jen responded with a smirk. “Knowledge first, sex second,” she laughed.

“You’ve got that completely fucking backwards, but okay…” Rachel chuckled. 

Chloe couldn’t help but notice how Rachel turned a little more into Max, and Max snuggled down closer even with the glass in her hand. In an odd, possessive kind of way, Chloe didn’t mind seeing them so happy because they were both hers. She could join their cuddle in an instant and they’d welcome her happily. 

“So… come on, tell us,” she said, getting a little more comfy in her corner of the couch as Max put a leg across her lap.

“Alright alright… so… we were in school together…” Jen started with a sad smile.

* * *

“Mrs. Caulder is a fucking bitch,” Jen growled as she lay down on her skateboard next to Kelly.

“At least she didn’t give you detention for not doing your homework, again.” Brooke replied with a smirk, sitting on the bench outside their high school. 

“If you put half as much time…” Kelly started to say.

“...Into doing my homework as I do playing games I’d pass with flying colours,” Jen said, finishing her sentence.

“Well, it’s…” Kelly started to say, only to be interrupted by Brooke this time.

“Oh, shit… look!” Brooke said, pointing across the school grounds at a couple who were having an argument.

“Who’s that?” Jen asked, leaning up from her skateboard to try to get a peek.

“Toby and Liz, fighting again,” Kelly sighed, tapping Jen on the head with a book. “Apparently he slept with Holly after the party last week.”

“Why would he cheat on Liz?” Brooke asked as Jen tuned out the conversation.

She was sick of the fucked up relationship drama; if it wasn’t one person screwing somebody over it was another. The jocks kept trying to ask her out on dates, which she would refuse purely because they repulsed her. She wasn’t interested in sex either; she’d already done the deed, as Kelly would put it, and it had done nothing for her. Staring at the ceiling for ten minutes wasn’t exactly her idea of fun.

“Jenny, are you listening?” Kelly asked, tapping her on the head.

“Fuck no… why do I care who’s fucking who?” she retorted as she rolled her eyes.

“Uh-oh, they’re coming our way,” Brooke said, burying her head in a textbook and making Jen snigger.

As the fighting couple got closer, Jen could hear their argument. It sounded more like constant badgering than an actual fight. Toby wanted to be forgiven; Liz was no longer interested and just wanted to go home.

“You know what, fine… if you weren’t such a fucking dyke then maybe I wouldn’t need to find another girl to fuck,” Toby said viciously and loudly enough for the crowds to hear.

Toby’s friends broke out in laughter, followed by more of the crowd as Jen sat up to watch the exchange.

“How… fucking dare you!” Liz yelled, her auburn hair flying round as she turned on Toby. “I fucking… you… asshole! I fucking told you that in confidence!”

“That you like looking at girls? Everybody fucking knew,” Toby roared with laughter. “Holly told me how you came onto her last year. Even Beth told us how you kept eyeing her up in the locker rooms.”

“That is a fucking lie!” Liz yelled, the tears apparent in her eyes. “How.. why would…”

“It explains why you don’t put out, though… obviously nothing wrong with me,” Toby growled, but Jen was already moving.

In one smooth motion she got to her feet and snatched up her skateboard, flicking it around so the wheels were on her side.

“Jen!” Kelly and Brooke both shouted, but she wasn’t listening.

“Hey, fucker,” she said and smacked Toby around the back of the legs with her board before kicking him in the stomach. “That’s no way to talk to a girl,” she growled, kicking him again to stop him getting up.

Looking at the assembled crowd, she gave a shrug of her shoulders; even Liz was staring at him with horror in her eyes. With another shrug, she checked her deck for damage and was about to go back to Kelly and Brooke.

“Miss Kane!” a man shouted, and she knew she was in trouble.

“Mr. Walsh,” Jen replied with a weak smile. “Uhm… he was bullying her?”

“My office. Now,” the man said with a growl in his voice.

As Jen crossed the school grounds, she could hear the conversation behind her, and she tried to tune it out. Kelly had indicated to her that she had her things and would look after them, but she wasn’t hopeful that she’d not be expelled.

When she reached Mr. Walsh’s office, she sat on the chairs outside and waited for him to arrive. Any minute, her mom would show up and grill her over her stupid actions, the leap without looking that always got her into so much trouble. Letting out a sigh, she expected the worst, all because she’d got involved in somebody else’s drama.

When Mr. Walsh arrived, he allowed her to step into his office where he instructed her to take a seat in front of his desk.

“Miss Kane… you know why you’re here,” the teacher said, sitting opposite her in his plush chair.

“For kicking a bully?” Jen said with a shrug.

“Toby confessed to his bullying of Elizabeth, but… it doesn’t excuse you for assaulting him with a skateboard, Jennifer,” the man continued.

“He was being a dick, telling people she’s a lesbian and being a fucking asshole…” Jen argued loudly.

“Language, Miss Kane,” Mr. Walsh said, silencing her protests. “I am well aware of what was said. Your actions, while chivalrous, are still in dispute. You shouldn’t have done it.”

“Not like he didn’t fucking deserve it,” she mumbled, ignoring the rebuke for bad language.

“Due to your previously clean record, we’re not going to expel or suspend you today, Miss Kane, but you will be in detention at lunch time for the next three weeks. Assault is not acceptable. Am I understood?” he said, surprising her completely.

“I… didn’t expect that,” she said with a frown.

“You’re a good student, Jennifer, and standing up for a fellow classmate isn’t a bad thing. I just expect you not to assault them next time,” the man smirked. “Now… get out and enjoy what’s left of your break, as you won’t have another.”

“Yes sir, thank you…” she said, quickly leaving the man’s office behind her.

Two hours later she was sat in the detention hall with her homework open, flicking through the pages, bored out of her mind. She was the first person to enter, but it seemed like she may be the only one. As she buried her head in her task she heard the door open and looked up, expecting to see the teacher who was in charge. She was surprised to see Liz walking towards her.

Without a sound the auburn haired girl sat on the table beside her and turned to face her.

“Thank you,” Liz said with a smile on her face.

“For what? Hitting a bully? The dick had it coming,” she shrugged, turning back to her work.

“For standing up for me, nobody else was…” Liz sighed, opening her bag and placing a textbook on the table.

“Why are you in detention?” Jen asked, noticing the colourful doodles on the front of the girls book.

“Well… after you walked away I decided to give him a good punch of my own,” Liz said, holding out her right hand to show Jen the ripped skin on her knuckles.

“Wow… in front of Walsh?” Jen said, slightly impressed by the girl.

“It was worth it,” Liz smirked as they looked at one another. “We don’t have any classes together… and I never see you without those two other girls…”

“Right…” Jen said, stretching out the word as she was uncertain where Liz was taking the conversation.

“I wanted to thank you, properly, not some stupid text from a number you don’t recognise,” Liz said. “So… thank you again.”

“Sure… you’re welcome,” Jen nodded as she returned to her homework.

As the minutes ticked by she kept trying to do the homework, but she was struggling with the task. She went over the problem again and again, sighing as she still couldn’t work it out.

“Want a hand?” Liz asked gently. “You’ve been staring at the same question for ten minutes.”

“Be my guest,” she shrugged, sitting back in her chair and allowed Liz to lean over to look at it. 

“Yeah, okay… I can’t help you with this in thirty minutes,” Liz said with a slight smirk.

“Figures… thanks for trying,” Jen said, rolling her eyes.

“How about you come over to my place after school, and I’ll help you? As much time as we need!” the girl said with a wide smile.

“Seriously? You wanna help?” Jen asked, frowning at the sudden offer from somebody she never hung out with,

“The least I can do for your help with my ex…” Liz said with a soft smile. “And… after what was said outside earlier, I’m kind of lacking in the friend department.”

With that one statement it all made sense. She didn’t want to refuse and upset the girl further, but she’d also promised to go out with Kelly and Brooke. 

“I’m sorry, bad idea, you hardly know me! What was I thinking?” Liz laughed, a blush in her cheeks as she tried to laugh it off. 

“No… actually… sounds good,” Jen nodded with a small smile. “Thanks.”

“I’ll… see you outside the main entrance after school then,” Liz smiled warmly.

As promised, as soon as school was over, Jen met Liz outside the main entrance. Liz was receiving strange glances from the other students, glances that were quickly cast as Jen when they saw them together, but she tried to ignore it. 

They received the same strange looks as Jen walked Liz home, talking quietly between them about nothing of any importance. It almost felt like a forced conversation, they weren’t really clicking as friends and Jen was certain Liz knew it too. They didn’t share the same hobbies, the same classes or the same circle of friends.

When they reached Liz’s home, she told Jen how her parents wouldn’t be back until late. Something she was sure Liz had mentioned to Toby at some point in the past. The collected snacks and drinks from the kitchen before going up to Liz’s room, where the girl tossed her bag on the floor and sat on the bed. 

At first it was still awkward, their differences so apparent. Then Jen noticed the photographs lodged in the mirror and couldn’t help herself from looking at them.

“These are pretty good,” she commented off-hand.

“Thanks… I took them,” Liz replied.

“No fucking way? You’re a photographer?” Jen asked, looking round at the girl who was still sat on her bed.

“Mhm, kind of… sort of. I want to be one, it’s why I’m taking the classes,” Liz nodded happily. “It was just a hobby but… well it’s nice to hide behind a camera and not be seen,” she said sadly.

“Can I ask something?” Jen said as she looked at a really nice picture of a model.

“Ask anything you want… after your little stunt, I’d say I owe you,” Liz smirked as Jen glanced at her.

“Are you… a lesbian?” Jen asked, uncertain if it was an appropriate question.

“Ah… that question,” Liz sighed and looked down at her lap. “I… admire the female form, the beauty of it, the differences,” she explained slowly. “But I’ve never been with a girl, never kissed a girl and I’ve never propositioned a girl either,” she said more sternly.

“But you like to look?” Jen said, sitting on the bottom of the bed as Liz moved up to the headboard.

“I’m not ogling them in the locker room like Toby said. It’s not like that at all,” Liz sighed sadly.

“I’m sorry for asking… it’s a strange topic,” Jen said, dropping her bag on the floor beside her. “Would… you like me to leave?”

“Why would you need to leave? I said you could ask…” Liz said with a frown. “Jen, you’re the only person that’s ever stood up for me, and I promised to help you with your homework.”

“Good point… I could really use the help,” Jen smiled, looking down at her bag.

“Let’s get started then,” Liz smiled.

As the weeks slowly passed them by, the two girls became closer and more inseparable. Jen would wait for Liz to finish her art classes after school and walk her home, where they would help with each others homework, laughing about the day or their teachers. The drama died down, as it always did in school, there was always something new to talk about. It gave Liz the anonymity she wanted, hiding behind her camera to take pictures of Jen, Kelly and Brooke when they hung out together.

They’d finally clicked, and Jen couldn’t see a day ahead without the auburn haired girl. She’d even started spending nights at Liz’s, sleeping on the floor despite Liz owning a double bed, and leaving behind changes of clothes. Liz even spent nights at hers where the girl somehow managed to get along with Jen’s parents, something she couldn’t understand or wanted to.

One evening as Jen lay on Liz’s bed with her homework laid out before her, she felt Liz move a little bit closer as they worked.

“You sure about that line?” Jen asked, pointing at a line on the page.

“Yes, I’m sure… stop doubting me,” Liz sniggered, nudging Jen with her shoulder.

“I’m not doubting, I’m confirming. You taught me that,” she retorted, nudging her friend in turn.

“So… are you ever going to ask that guy out?” Liz asked suddenly, turning the topic back to boys.

“Not if you keep asking… plus, I mean… he’s cute, okay but… I don’t think he’s my type,” she muttered, dropping her pen on the book.

“What is your type Jen?” Liz asked, rolling onto her side to face her. “Tall dark and handsome? A dwarf?”

“No fucking way!” Jen laughed. “More like… hot, long blonde hair, or maybe brunette… oh dark hair is even better!”

“We are talking about guys right?” Liz smirked as Jen rolled away to face her.

“Guys can have long blonde hair, look at Thor!” she retorted happily as she stared at her friends green eyes.

“Thor is the God of fucking Thunder, there’s a difference between fantasy and reality,” Liz chided. “You’ll get the long blonde hair, but he’ll be skinny as fuck and unable to pick you up.”

Jen stared at her friend for a moment, admiring the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eyes. She’d been spending more and more time staring at her lately, but she didn’t quite know why.

“So… what about you? Getting back with Toby?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

“Not my type…” Liz replied with a smirk. “I… think… uhm…” her smile faltered and Jen frowned, concerned for her friend.

“What’s up? You know you can tell me anything!” she quickly said, reaching out and placing her hand on Liz’s.

“That… uhm… admiring girls thing?” Liz said shyly.

“Oh, you been looking at Kelly? Because…” Jen started to say but Liz shook her head.

“I think… I’ve maybe already fallen for somebody. Problem is… well they’re probably straight,” Liz said with a frown. “It’s… messed up.”

“So… you are… a… huh…” Jen said, glancing away at the mirror for a moment, then back to Liz.

“I hope it doesn’t change anything between us… you’re an awesome fucking friend and I’ve never felt so close to anybody in my life!” Liz said quickly, the fear evident in her voice.

“You’re my best friend… of course it doesn’t change anything,” Jen smiled, placing a hand on Liz’s shoulder. “Whoever you like… you’re just gonna have to ask them, ya know?”

“Prepare for rejection, right?” Liz said sadly.

“Or… you know, they’ll end up kissing your face off and I’ll lose you to some hot blonde female thor…” Jen sniggered.

“It’s not… quite like that,” Liz whispered, looking down at the bed as she spoke. “The girl I like… well if she likes me back I’m worried about all the stories they’ll be telling around school.”

“Fuck ‘em… Liz, if she likes you back… isn’t it better you’re happy?” Jen asked, feeling a little jealous of whoever this girl was.

“You’re right… I know you are… you’re always fucking right,” Liz smiled, a beautiful light behind her eyes. “Anyway… I’ll be right back,” she said, climbing off the bed and leaving Jen alone in the bedroom.

Jen rolled back onto her front to continue her homework, but couldn’t shake the strange feeling. They’d joked and talked about guys almost daily for weeks, but neither of them had ever gone through on asking one out. But the idea of Liz getting a girlfriend made her feel a little jealous, a little possessive. She let out a groan and dropped her head onto the work.

When Liz returned she was carrying a couple of drinks for them both, which she set down on her bedside table before lying back down beside Jen, slightly closer than normal as they returned to her homework.

As the afternoon progressed they managed to get through Jen’s work and threw it back into her school bag before putting on some music. They chilled and laughed as normal, despite Liz’s confession of being attracted to girls. Jen didn’t care, she was still the same girl she enjoyed spending time with. 

“Are you spending the night?” Liz asked as she threw herself back down on the bed.

“Only if you want me to,” Jen answered, lying down beside her with her head on the pillow.

“Will you actually sleep in bed this time, so you’re not complaining all day about a bad back?” Liz sniggered, reminding Jen of her normal joking complaints.

“You’re always going to ask me to, aren’t you?” Jen asked with a small smile.

“Until you say yes and stop being the chivalrous hero,” Liz retorted playfully. “We’re both girls…”

“Ah, but you’re a lesbian, how do I now know you’re not going to make a move on me?” Jen teased as she looked at Liz. For a moment she thought it was a bad joke, but Liz merely grinned.

“Maybe I will…” the girl said with a wink.

Cautiously, Liz rolled onto her side and moved closer to Jen, placing her head on the same pillow. They looked at each other for a moment, with Jen occasionally glancing at Liz’s lips feeling a strange pull. It was indescribable, she didn’t understand it but as Liz grew steadily closer she did nothing to stop her. Even as their lips touched and she closed her eyes, it didn’t feel wrong, she didn’t withdraw from the contact. 

_ I’ll always remember this… _ she thought to herself as she lost herself in the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the chapter! 
> 
> As you all know, when I make an Author Note on this fic it's usually important so... I broke my laptop, again. I'll still be working when I can, so have no fear you will all get your fix! Next chapter is well underway!
> 
> While I have the chance I want to thank all of the readers again, love the feedback and the comments and it's always nice to hear about the new 'Team Jen.' Hopefully, you lot enjoyed this chapter immensely!
> 
> Drop your comments below, continue being awesome as a friend of mine would say!


	34. From One Vacation to the Next

Although the four girls wanted to stay in Los Angeles, they had to return to San Francisco. Jen had work the following day which meant they couldn’t extend their trip any longer, despite all of their keen desires to stay a little longer.

Thanks to Max’s keen eye and perfect timing, they had an entire collection of photographs to sort through. They looked through the collection for the artwall in their apartment, which they had no intention of taking down until the day they moved. It was a mosaic of their time together, carefully constructed with pictures replaced or moved to make way for new ones. Chloe now featured heavily in them, but Rachel’s sketches of her remained, if only to remind them of who had been missing from their lives.

Max had informed them both of her midnight headaches, receiving a scolding from Chloe for keeping it from them to begin with which Rachel agreed with. They didn’t want Max hiding something so important from them, especially when it had in impact on her health and well being. They’d both been adamant that Max inform them of every little time weirdness that afflicted her, no matter how small.

They still hadn’t managed to tell Jen of their experiences or of Max’s powers, but the fear of losing their best friend after she had so recently opened up to them was too great. Jen had been instrumental in the relationship the three of them now shared as well, and they didn’t want to lose such a special influence on their lives.

The weeks slowly slipped by as they continued to look for work; the hope of getting just one job offer was the driving force behind them. Chloe had told Max all about her competition entry as soon as they returned home, but the winners wouldn’t be announced until the start of the new year.

Rachel was trying not to allow the lack of any modelling offers get her down, she’d always believed she could do it. It was becoming harder to stay confident, but Chloe and Max both had their ways of cheering her up when she was feeling low. From a quick hug to a full intervention where they would all go out for a cheap meal and remind themselves they were no longer in Arcadia. They had the whole world available to them, they just had to keep trying.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, it helped to distract them from their unfortunate lack of luck. Max had already bought presents for her parents, as well as something nice for Kate, which she had mailed to her. Rachel had also spotted the petite girl hiding a couple of presents from Chloe and herself at one point, confirming her suspicions that Max had already got her a present. When Rachel went out with Jen one evening, she’d managed to get her own shopping done, thanks to a little extra cash from her friend. She stashed the presents at Jen’s to stop Max or Chloe from finding them, especially as Chloe’s gift was a little large. 

It was now the twenty-second of December and Chloe still hadn’t finished all of her Christmas shopping. Max had told her multiple times to take Jen if she wanted advice and help picking something for two girlfriends. It was only after Rachel reminded her that they were going to Seattle on the twenty-third that she finally got her act together, asking Jen to go on a shopping trip without Max and Rachel.

Before Chloe left, the three of them spent a bit of time cleaning up the small space they still shared. They made the bed and cleared away the pizza boxes that Chloe had managed to accumulate on her side of the bed, as well as a vast collection of clothes that they were supposed to have washed before they left for Seattle. 

When Jen knocked on the door, Rachel couldn’t get rid of Chloe quickly enough, especially as she’d managed to add more mess to their task by merely moving things around.

“Take her!” Rachel laughed, pushing Chloe towards the door as Max held it open.

“That bad, huh?” she heard Jen say to Max, who laughed and nodded.

“Not my fault.” Chloe grinned as she pulled on her boots and jacket. “Plus… I’m not sure about leaving you two together for a private photo session,” she teased as she put an arm around Max who gave Chloe a tight hug.

“Private photo session? Why wasn’t I invited?” Jen said, putting an arm around Chloe’s waist. “You know I look absolutely amazing. With Rachel… or Blue,” she winked at Chloe who smirked.

“That’s not on offer,” Max retorted with a laugh. “Come on… I have a job to do! And Chloe… you’re supposed to be getting your girlfriends presents.”

“I know… you’re just so difficult to buy for,” Chloe argued gently as Jen finally released her.

“Bullshit…” Rachel smiled. “You just don’t want to leave us alone together,” she said, noticing the impish look on Chloe’s gorgeous face.

“You know me…” Chloe said, putting on the puppy dog eyes as she tried to get her way.

“No! Get out! Go get me a Christmas present, or I’ll give yours to Max,” Rachel threatened playfully.

“Alright, we’re going!” Chloe laughed, before giving Max a quick kiss.

“I’ll have her back in… as long as you need,” Jen winked as she gave a small wave and pulled at Chloe’s jacket. “Come on, Blue…”

“I wanna see the pictures when I get back!” Chloe said as she was pulled from the apartment.

Max closed the door behind them and pressed her back against it before letting out a sigh. “Finally…” She smirked.

“Back to tidying… the pictures will suck if all of this mess is in them,” Rachel groaned, slightly annoyed that they still had to clean up before they could get started.

“You should go and get ready… I can finish cleaning,” Max said as she threw dirty clothes into a laundry bag.

It took Max another hour to get the room clean enough for the session they had planned, while Rachel got changed and applied a subtle amount of makeup. She knew she wanted to take some more risque pictures, but wanted to work towards those gradually. Sitting on the bed, she waited patiently while Max checked her two cameras and film.

“You know… this won’t look as good as studio work,” Max explained sadly. “We just don’t have the equipment…”

“It’ll happen eventually,” Rachel replied with a smile, crossing her legs and resting her arms on her knee. “You’re going to win that competition and the whole art world is going to be fighting over you.”

“We can hope…” Max shrugged as she picked up one of her cameras. “Okay… let’s get started.” She smiled.

It was the easiest thing in the world posing for Max. The petite photographer never needed to repeat herself and she never chastised Rachel either; they were a perfect team. When Max was satisfied with the pictures they had so far, Rachel took off her shirt and jeans and moved back up the bed, posing in her vest shirt and underwear. Every time Max touched her leg or arm to move her, it felt like her nerves were tingling.

Taking a small break, Max removed one of her upper layers of clothing before they had a drink and sat at the table to looked through the pictures. Rachel knew Max was talented. She loved seeing her pictures, but there was something special about the photographs they had taken today. She was managing to capture a hidden fire in Rachel’s eyes, something she rarely saw even in the pictures on the wall.

“So… underwear next?” Rachel asked with a small smirk after she’d finished looking through the photos.

“Are you sure? I mean… I have no problem taking them…” Max answered, her cheeks blushing and making her look so damn cute.

“I need to show I have the body and talent… come on Max, a job is a job, and I really need one,” Rachel argued gently.

“Alright…” Max grinned. “Shirt off then.”

“Oh, you’re going to enjoy this aren’t you?” Rachel laughed, standing up and pulling her vest top over her head. 

In just her bra and underwear, she could almost feel Max’s eyes upon her, but she loved the attention. Yet she felt a little nervous, almost shy. It had been the first time they’d been alone together without Chloe’s presence. 

Returning to the bed once more, she crawled into the centre and turned over to lie on her back. She watched Max fiddling with her camera before once again lining up her angle. Rachel knew she was going to have to get into the digital age, but it gave them an excuse to be closer. Gradually Max moved onto the bed as well.

To tease the talented photographer, Rachel unclasped her bra and held it to her chest, keeping her modesty as she posed seductively. When Max climbed off the bed, Rachel couldn’t stop herself from letting out an annoyed sigh.

“What are…” she started to say, when Max held out her black button shirt.

“Put this on, lose the bra,” Max said with a smirk. 

“Oh, really?” Rachel grinned, doing as she was instructed but allowing Max to get a proper view of her body.

“You looked damn good in just your shirt…” Max smiled as she knelt on the bed.

“Mhm… are you remembering a certain night in particular?” Rachel purred as she held the shirt to her chest, barely containing her breasts.

“Stop teasing and pose for me,” Max growled, but Rachel could see the blush in her cheeks again.

It was the most fun she’d had in a while with Max, teasing without revealing too much. Flirting but never taking it too far. It reminded her of the months they had spent together, touching foreheads to display their affection without crossing the line, the line that had blurred during the heat of the moment.

She followed Max’s touch as the petite girl moved her leg, changing her pose with only the slightest amount of pressure. Max moved the collar of the shirt, exposing Rachel’s collarbone some more, but she was certain Max’s fingers had lingered a little longer on her skin. As Max broke their contact, Rachel let out a gentle sigh and bit her bottom lip just before the click and whir of the camera. 

“Hella awesome,” Max smiled, dropping the image onto the pile at the bottom of the bed.

“Just like you…” Rachel replied, watching Max move around to get another angle.

After another couple of pictures, Max sat back on her heels with a small smirk on her pretty face. “Would you… roll onto your front and lose the shirt?” she asked shyly.

“I don’t want any nude shots…” Rachel answered cautiously as she sat up to remove the shirt.

“I won’t take any like that,” Max assured her, taking the shirt and dropping it onto the rest of Rachel’s clothes on the floor.

“Mhm…” Rachel winked, rolling onto her side and allowing Max to pose her lovingly.

The minutes slipped by as Max carefully lined up her shots, a keen level of perfection that Rachel adored to see. But she wanted more of Max; they hadn’t had a moment together since they had become a triad. She couldn’t help but think of the snatched kisses they had shared and wanted another of those intimate moments with Max.

Rolling onto her back, she noticed Max was looking through the pictures with a confident look on her face.

“Are we done?” Rachel asked.

“Yeah, I don’t think I can get any better than this,” Max replied, showing off an incredible photo of Rachel. “You’re… a stunning model,” she breathed, sitting back against the headboard.

“Thank you,” Rachel whispered, leaning over the edge of the bed to grab the black shirt. “But it helps to have a hella amazing photographer.” She grinned as she sat up and pulled on Max’s button up shirt.

Turning back towards, Max she was taken by surprise as the petite girl suddenly kissed her firmly on the lips. There was no hesitation as she kissed her girlfriend back, placing a hand on Max’s hip and the other on her shoulder. Max’s hands were on her hips beneath the shirt, slowly pulling her back up the bed. She straddled the petite girl’s lap as they had their first intimate moment in so long, losing herself in the touch of Max’s fingertips on her bare skin and her soft lips against her own.

“Took you long enough,” she purred as they broke apart for a singular moment.

“I’m a professional… work first, play later,” Max retorted with a small chuckle.

“I can…” She flicked Max’s nose with her own. “Maybe…” They kissed once, “agree to that,” she finished as Max bit her lip and they started kissing passionately once again.

Determined not to miss their chance, Rachel was already tugging Max’s top up to undress her. Breaking their kiss once more, the vest top was pulled over Max’s head and tossed aside, but Max started kissing Rachel’s neck instead. Burying her hand in Max’s hair, she held the girl to her, teasingly scratching her nails up the petite girls back and eliciting a slight gasp from Max.

Her fingers found the clasp of Max’s bra and undid it, pulling the garment from Max’s slim frame. Her girlfriend worked her way up her neck until they kissed once more with a passion. They were finally allowing all of the emotions they felt for one another to come to the fore. Even though they’d had sex together with Chloe, there was always something more intimate about time with just one other person.

With a quick flick of her tongue against Rachel’s upper lip, she lay back on the bed and Rachel went with her, pressing her body against Max’s as the girl fumbled to remove Rachel’s shirt. It was quickly discarded onto the floor, a useless item of clothing that had kept them apart.

Time almost felt like it was frozen around them, like nothing could intrude upon their moment together. Every bite and kiss was fully weighted with emotion, lust and love mingling together to make her want more of the petite girl, her saviour. 

With practiced ease she undid Max’s jeans and broke their kiss to bite and kiss her neck. She scratched her teeth against Max’s taut skin as she tipped her head back, clearly enjoying the sensations. Max’s next words took her completely by surprise.

“Don’t take it slow…” she whispered, almost pleadingly.

“You sure?” Rachel asked between soft kisses to her neck.

“Mhm…” Max nodded with a smile.

Rather than waiting to take off Max’s clothes, she shifted herself to sit astride Max’s right leg and slowly moved down Max’s underwear. Her girlfriend showed no resistance and gasped as Rachel’s fingers found the place she know would give Max the most pleasure. Max turned her head to kiss Rachel, holding the back of her neck to keep them engaged as she moaned or gasped through their locked lips.

“Fuck…” Max let slip as their lips parted.

Releasing Rachel’s neck, Max raised her hips trying to push off her jeans, but she couldn’t get the right grip as Rachel didn’t relent in her pursuit of pleasuring the brunette girl. Finally she relented and gripped Rachel’s neck to kiss her again, even biting her lip.

“Oh… fuck…” Max groaned.

She kept up the perfect rhythm until she felt Max start to tense up, the first signs that she was close, a sign Rachel now knew so well after both she and Chloe had pleased the girl so many times in the past. 

* * *

 

As Max lay under the covers of their bed pressed firmly against Rachel, she couldn’t believe how much fun they’d had. They’d tried something new, something Rachel said Jen had taught her, but she’d wanted to share it with Max first. At first it had been strange, but by the end it had been an amazing experience. 

There wasn’t the sense of guilt she had been expecting. Instead she felt positively ecstatic that she and Rachel had finally had their moment together, and she didn’t feel any different about the blonde girl.

She traced a line over Rachel’s chest, admiring the girl’s magnificent body that was so different from Chloe’s. Up and down her back she could feel Rachel doing the same thing, and she enjoyed the touch.

“I’m never letting you go…” she whispered with a smile, nuzzling her nose into Rachel’s shoulder.

“Better not… it took us months to get here,” Rachel laughed gently, taking hold of Max’s hand and placing it on her stomach.

“We need more time like this.”

“We’ll get more, after photo shoots, on holidays… we have years ahead of us. I mean it, Max, I want a life with you and Chloe. It’s not going to change.” Rachel smiled, the fire in her eyes that Max had tried to capture in her photographs.

“I want it too… I am not letting anything come between us that dream,” Max replied, the happiness she felt indescribable.

“Speaking of our blue-haired babe… what do you think’s taking her so long?” Rachel asked.

“Either Jen is keeping her busy… or she’s having trouble picking presents,” Max answered with a smirk. “But… I’m not complaining.”

“I didn’t think you were,” Rachel purred as she tightened her grip on Max.

They lay in bed for some time, with Max listening to the steady beat of Rachel’s heart. It soothed her mind to think that she had this moment because Chloe had insisted on her using her powers, overcoming her defiance to do so. It had been a rough few months, but the end result was certainly different from the life she had expected with Chloe.

In a couple of days they would be in Seattle, the three of them as a triad. She’d have to explain it to her parents, specifically how they all felt about each other. They’d understand though; her dad had understood when she’d told him about her relationship with Chloe, even helping to put their plans into action. 

The thought of spending Christmas with the people she loved most made her smile as she closed her eyes, losing herself in the steady rhythm of Rachel’s heartbeat. 

“Come on sleepy, we should get tidied up before Chloe gets back,” Rachel said, gently stroking Max’s hair out of her eyes.

“Was I asleep?” she asked, blinking as she tried to focus on Rachel’s features.

“You looked it,” the blonde girl said, gently running a thumb over Max’s cheek.

“Are you… worried about Chloe finding us in bed together?” She frowned, concerned that this would become the normal for their relationship. Snatched moments of pleasure and a quick scramble to hide it from Chloe.

“Fuck no. No, if it were just Chloe I’d be happy to stay in bed but… Jen’s with her, and she will not relent if she sees you naked,” Rachel explained softly. “Max… one day you might walk in and Chloe and me… would you rather know, or always be suspicious?”

“I… guess I’d rather just know than always be wondering,” Max answered, curious that she’d never considered it before. “What about you? If you walked in on us?”

“I’d fucking join you…” Rachel chuckled happily, “if… you let me. I know how… intimacy is needed.” She smiled.

For a moment, Max wondered what would happen in that situation, but she had no answer. They weren’t in that moment, but she could never see herself refusing Rachel, or Chloe. Especially as she never wanted either of them to feel dejected.

“I’ll never say no to you,” she said, kissing Rachel’s shoulder once more before the blonde girl softly guided her chin up so they could kiss once more.

* * *

 

Driving north to Seattle was going to once again be a tedious affair for whoever was in the driver’s seat. First, they’d picked up the presents from Jen’s, taking an hour to wish their three friends a Merry Christmas before they left for a few days. Jen’s sulken mood at knowing she wouldn’t see her best friends over Christmas was soon cured when she opened the gift from the three of them, a framed picture of the four of them in LA. It wasn’t much, but Jen seemed to understand just how much they cared about her from the thoughtful gift. 

Once they were on the road, they’d decided to break it up into four hour shifts so everybody had time to relax on the trip, with Chloe taking the last shift into Seattle. It meant earlier in the day she had time to spend with Max cuddled up to her, laughing or joking about childhood memories which they were comfortable sharing with Rachel. The blonde girl laughed in all the right places, and she never seemed upset at the lack of a childhood with the two of them.

When it was Max’s turn to drive, Rachel sat between the two of them and kept showing both of them small signs of affection, especially Max. Chloe had noticed the new bond between them when she had returned from the shopping trip the day before, but it didn’t bother her as much as it used to. Slowly they were all coming to appreciate the relationship they all shared. Jealousy was being chipped away one kiss or touch at a time and it was taking on a sense normality that Chloe could enjoy.

Finally, when it was her turn to drive, she was happy to see Max taking pictures of Rachel against the passenger door, pulling funny faces or posing so eloquently. She’d seen the photo shoot pictures and really admired the beauty Rachel possessed, as well as the fact Max had been able to capture the fire in the blonde girl’s eyes.

It was late into the night when they finally entered Seattle. With Max giving her directions to her parents’ home, they weaved through the city streets until they were out into the suburbs and finally pulling up outside Max’s parents house. It was bigger than the home they had owned in Arcadia Bay and heavily adorned with Christmas decorations. Whatever job Mr. Caulfield had got was certainly paying off, especially as he was willing to give his daughter a credit card for a trip across the country. 

They pulled on their winter coats before exiting Choe’s truck, kicking up snow as they walked around the vehicle to get the bags out of the back. Max kept glancing up at the house, no doubt expecting her parents to open the door any time to greet them. 

As the front door was opened and more light was cast from the house, they looked over to see Ryan standing on the threshold. Max almost dropped the bags she was carrying, running up the steps to give her a father a hug as Chloe and Rachel looked on.

“I guess it has been… what, nine months since she saw them?” Chloe whispered out of the side of her mouth.

“Mhm, time travel’s a bitch,” Rachel nodded as she slung a bag over her shoulder. “Can you get the last bag?” she added, pointing the bag.

“Yeah… I got it,” Chloe grinned, reaching over the edge and pulling the bag out.

Heavily laden with three bags, she made her way up the pathway to the front door where Max was animatedly talking to her parents, nodding or shaking her head as they asked her questions.

“Good timing,” Max grinned, stepping back to pull Rachel beside her. “Pop, Mom, I want you to meet Rachel, Chloe’s…”

“Best friend that was presumed dead?” Ryan said with a nod. “We’ve heard all about you,” he nodded, though Chloe noticed a lack of warmth in his voice.

“It’s nice to finally meet you both. Max has told me so much about you,” Rachel said politely with a smile.

“Nice to meet you too, dear, let’s get you all inside and warm, shall we?” Vanessa smiled as she took the extra bag from Chloe, welcoming them into their home.

They crossed the threshold into the warm home as Ryan closed the door behind them.

“Do you have any presents you want to put under the tree?” Ryan asked with a small smile behind his beard.

“Oh yes!” Max said, lifting the bag of presents she had.

“Pass them to me, I’ll get it sorted while you all get settled in,” he said, taking the bag from Max, then one each from Rachel and Chloe. “Anything breakable?” He smirked, looking as though he was about to shake one of the bags.

Rachel laughed and shook her head. “Not from me.”

“Alright then…” he nodded, taking the presents with him through a doorway which Chloe guessed led to the living room.

“I’ve made up the guest room for Rachel, we thought you and Chloe would be okay sharing your room?” Vanessa said with a smile. 

“Uhm… we’ve kind of got used to being in the same room,” Max replied with a small shrug. “Especially after…”

“Oh, yes, the whole Mark Jefferson business,” Vanessa nodded. “We are glad to see you’re safe and well, Rachel.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Caulfield,” Rachel said with a small smile.

“Vanessa, dear,” the woman said gently.

“I’m just really glad Chloe and Max are both there for me,” Rachel continued as she put an arm around Max and pulled her into a small hug. “They’re both awesome.”

“I’m glad they’re looking after you,” Vanessa said as she looked to Max. “Well it’s late, you three should get up to bed. We can all talk tomorrow!”

Chloe took the extra bag from Vanessa as Max started to lead the way upstairs, but she was quickly called back by her mom, leaving Chloe and Rachel to find their own way to Max’s room with instructions. They knew they had the right room when they stepped inside and saw the empty wardrobe, the wall of pictures, and especially the picture of a young Chloe and Max on the desk under the window.

They dropped their bags by the wardrobe, but Chloe’s old snooping instincts kicked in. She looked at the pictures of Max on the wall while Rachel kicked off her shoes and lay back on the double bed.

“Think everything’s okay with me being here?” Rachel asked quietly.

“Of course it is,” Chloe responded quickly. “You know we wouldn’t have come if they’d said no.”

“Yeah… but we can’t stop Max from seeing her family, even if ours both suck,” Rachel retorted with a sigh.

“Ryan’s cool, he helped persuade step-fuck and my mom to let us go on a trip in the first place and gave Max that credit card,” Chloe explained as she sat on the end of the bed and kicked her boots off.

“He didn’t exactly sound happy to see me…” Rachel said, sitting up and putting her arms around Chloe’s neck.

“He doesn’t know how awesome you are yet, he’ll see,” Chloe laughed, pulling herself around so she could put her arms around Rachel’s waist.

“Get rid of this…” Rachel smirked, pulling the beanie from Chloe’s head. “And give you… one of these…” she whispered as they kissed softly. 

The sound of the door opening made them jump apart, but it was only Max entering the room with her bags. She looked at the two of them, seemed to know what they had been doing, and let out a small laugh.

“Dorks…” Max whispered, kicking the door closed behind her and dropping her bags with the rest.

“Well, it could have been your Mom,” Rachel retorted with a grin.

“And it’s not like we’ve announced our relationship to them yet,” Chloe added as she watched Max kick off her shoes.

“Tomorrow, before Christmas day. I don’t want my dad having a heart attack over Christmas dinner that his wonderful daughter isn’t just dating one amazing girl, but two…” Max replied with a smirk as she took off her winter jacket.

“I’ll take the floor tonight, just in case your parents forget to knock…” Rachel grinned as she took off her own jacket.

“If they do… I’ll rewind…” Max shrugged, showing off her palm. “I got the power.”

“Oh… that’s a fucking terrible joke,” Chloe laughed, pulling Max to sit on her lap.

“Still… until we tell them, it’s probably the smartest idea,” Rachel persisted, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder. 

“Maybe we should just all sleep on the floor?” Max said with a shrug. “There’s enough space, and it means nobody is missed out.”

“It’s one night, Max,” Rachel said, sitting up and shaking her head. “Enjoy cuddling up to Chloe, I don’t mind… you’ll just have to make it up to me later,” she winked.

“Alright… enough flirting,” Chloe laughed. “Let’s try to get some sleep.”

Max retrieved the bedding from the guest room and helped Rachel make a comfortable place to sleep on the carpet floor beside the bed, folding the duvet over for the blonde girl to get comfortable in. When they were all changed for bed, they both gave Rachel a quick kiss goodnight before they snuggled up together in Max’s old bed. 

Not being completely asleep due to being in a new and unfamiliar place, Chloe was aware of Max climbing out of the bed in the middle of the night. When the petite girl took longer than Chloe thought she would, she awkwardly climbed out of bed, stepping over Rachel’s sleeping form, and crept out of the bedroom. She walked towards the only light at the end of the hallway and found Max in the bathroom sitting on the edge of the bath, her nose bleeding ever so slightly.

“You’re still having to freeze time?” Chloe asked, grabbing some tissue and pressing it to her girlfriend’s nose.

“It’s… still giving me a headache. Same time, every night,” Max nodded, taking hold of the tissue and leaning against Chloe as she sat down beside her.

“And freezing is the only thing that helps?” Chloe frowned, holding the girl to her.

“Mhm… and I keep seeing that damn blue fucking butterfly in the mirror whenever I do,” Max growled quietly. “It’s pissing me off.”

“Max, if this doesn’t end… if you have to keep doing this…” Chloe said, concern lacing her voice.

“I know… but I can’t exactly go to a doctor or a hospital,” Max replied sadly. “I can only… hope it’s going to go away.”

While waiting for the nosebleed to stop, Chloe kept a firm arm around Max, gently rocking back and forth as she tried to think of something she could do to help her. An idea came to her, but she had no idea if it would work.

“Does it always cause a nosebleed?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah… except when I froze time with you, in the bath,” Max answered, checking the tissue before throwing it in the bin.

“So in future, just… do them with me, see if it stops the nosebleeds?” Chloe grinned, hoping it could help. “It’s all I have.”

“Okay… we’ll try your test oh Dr. Price,” Max smiled.

“Good, now let’s get back to bed before we wake anybody with your giggling,” Chloe said, standing and helping Max up.

“Or your moaning…” Max teased as she took Chloe’s hand and led her out of the bathroom, flicking off the light on the way.

If it weren’t for Max’s guiding hand, she would have been lost, but Max knew her way back to her bedroom and they were soon cuddled up beneath the covers once more.

“Wait…” Chloe whispered. “What moaning? I don’t moan,” she argued, only just realising what Max had said.

“Rach and I would disagree with that,” Max replied, pressing her head into Chloe’s collarbone as she was getting comfy. “Especially… when…” 

Max bit down on Chloe’s collarbone and elicited a slight gasp from her. “Bitch…” she growled.

“We do that…” Max giggled quietly. “Now go back to sleep.”


	35. Dark Clouds

Christmas Eve passed quickly, as the girls helped Vanessa in the kitchen with some of the preparation for the meal and cookies for Christmas Day. Max was happily mixing the cookie dough with Chloe while Rachel watched on, trying not to become too close to them under Vanessa’s watchful gaze. Ryan was still busy working and Max wanted to tell them both at once, but it meant Rachel felt a little isolated from her girlfriends. 

As Max turned her left hand over to sprinkle the chocolate chips into the bowl, her mother let out a small shout, causing the three of them to jump at the sudden noise.

“Maxine Caulfield! What is that on your hand?” Vanessa shouted. Max turned around to face her mother who had walked passed Chloe.

The woman snatched Max’s hand and turned it over to observe the tattoo.

“It’s… a-a t-tattoo, I had it done for…” Max started to stutter.

“I’m well aware of what it is!” Vanessa said, her brows furrowed as she stared at Max. “Why didn’t you tell us? Or show us? Or something?”

“I-I forgot, I’m used to it now and didn’t think…” Max said, glancing at Rachel and Chloe for support.

“We all have tattoos, she wanted to join the club…” Chloe quickly said, showing off her own.

“And yours is very pretty, Chloe, but my daughter picked a circle and it can’t be covered up,” Vanessa said, releasing her daughter’s hand.

“I’m a-a photographer Mom; I could be covered head to toe in tattoos and I could still get work.” Max argued gently. “Please… let’s not make a big deal out of it, I am eighteen.”

“I’m aware of your age, darling, but you should have told us about it,” Vanessa replied. “Parents are always there for their children.”

Rachel tried not to roll her eyes, reminded of her lying father and the secrets he had kept. Instead, she kept her mouth shut and quietly fumed at having to remain silent, only half listening to Max trying to talk her mother around. 

_ If this is how she’s going to respond to a tattoo, how the fuck is she going to react to our relationship?  _ She thought to herself, trying to distract herself by watching Chloe.

She could see Chloe’s hand balled into a fist, her protectiveness evident in her mannerisms, but Rachel knew she was trying to contain it. Moving to stand beside Chloe, she took hold of her girlfriend’s balled fist, persuading her to release the grip and hold her hand instead. With a sideways glance, Chloe gave her a weak smile. 

When Vanessa was done grilling Max about her tattoo, the happiness on the petite girl’s face was gone. She seemed defeated, something Rachel couldn’t bear to see. As soon as Vanessa left the kitchen for a moment, Rachel quickly wrapped her arms around Max’s waist and planted a loving kiss on her cheek.

“I don’t care what your mom says, I still love your tattoo,” she whispered into Max’s ear, just loud enough for Chloe to hear.

“Exactly, it’s your body Max… well, our body.” Chloe winked at Rachel, making Max laugh a little.

“I just… didn’t think about it. It’s become part of me,” Max replied quietly, taking a small amount of dough on her finger and holding it out for Rachel to taste.

She didn’t refuse the offered food, even giving Max’s finger a gentle nip.

“She’ll get over it… so will your dad,” Chloe added, turning to lean against the kitchen counter. “I bet he’ll think it’s awesome.”

“I hope so,” Max said quietly, offering a taste of the dough to Chloe.

“He will,” Chloe said before taking her taster.

“Ya know… we should have a snowball fight,” Rachel said, looking out of the window at the falling snow. “Blow off some steam.” She grinned.

Hearing the kitchen door start to open, Rachel quickly released Max and walked away to lean against another part of the counter. She hated the secrecy and hoped it would be over soon.

Once the cookies were in the oven baking, the three of them went back upstairs to get their winter clothes and shoes. While Chloe pulled on her boots, Max took the opportunity to give Rachel a tight, comforting hug. It was the small things Rachel was missing, especially having to restrict her own actions around Vanessa and Ryan. The moment Max told them about their triad would certainly make things easier. It couldn’t come soon enough.

They went out into the back garden, where they decided to build an oddly shaped snowman before Chloe cast the first snowball at Rachel, hitting her in the back of the head.

“You… are so dead, Chloe Price!” she roared, scooping up a handful of snow, compacting it into a ball, and launching it at the punk girl, who quickly ducked behind the snowman.

Max laughed, scooping up a handful for herself, only to be hit in the hand by a well-placed throw from Chloe. Snowballs were thrown between the three girls, who quickly found cover around the garden. Max was hiding behind a bench, Chloe was still behind the poor snowman who was consistently being pelted by more snow, while Rachel had tried to take cover behind a snow-covered garden chair. 

While Chloe was busy trying to hit Max, Rachel carefully crept out of cover and rushed towards the snowman. She heard the swish of a snowball barely missing her before she dodged around the snowman and tackled Chloe into the snow. Chloe yelped and laughed, struggling to fight Rachel off her, who scooped up snow and dropped it on Chloe’s face.

“Gerroff!” Chloe yelped, laughing loudly as Max rushed in, pushing Rachel off and falling on top of them both.

When they were all very cold and very wet, they went back indoors and were greeted by Vanessa with a number of towels for them. They left their shoes and jackets downstairs and went back upstairs to change, laughing when Max looked out of the window and pointed out the damage they’d done to the poor snowman, who was missing parts of his body.

“Well… he didn’t last long,” Rachel said, leaning on the desk to look out at the snowman.

“It was still fun to build,” Max replied as she peeled off her soaked jeans.

“And I won the snowball fight,” Chloe added. 

Rachel looked around to see Chloe getting changed with a grin on her face. “No you didn’t… you lost,” she smirked.

“How did I lose? I hit you in the back of the head,” Chloe said with a wide smile.

“Because you ended up on your back in the snow first…” Rachel replied as she started to peel off her own wet jeans.

“Only because you tackled me, but you were next so…” Chloe looked at Max, who was smiling confidently.

“I won, which makes a nice change,” Max said, pulling on one of their pairs of jeans with the rips in the knees. 

“For now…” Rachel smirked, nudging her in the side playfully.

Changed and a little warmer, they went back downstairs into the living room which was decorated for Christmas. Rachel had brought the art bag down with her in case Max wanted to take any pictures. They made themselves comfortable on the two couches, with Max and Chloe on one and Rachel on the other.

Max had the TV remote and was flicking through the channels with Chloe’s input. Rachel took out her sketch pad and pencils and decided to continue working on a dress design she had started some time ago. 

Vanessa was in and out of the room, checking things with Max between her tasks in the kitchen. Ryan appeared at one point from his study, a look of annoyance on his hard features, but he didn’t pay the girls much attention. It was strange seeing how similar Max’s family could be to her own, despite their differences. Ryan wasn’t a lying scumbag for one.

Rachel couldn’t help but notice the closeness between Max and Chloe, and while she appreciated how close they were, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous now that the intimacy was being denied to her. She wanted to rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder and be held like that. She let out a gentle sigh and gathered up her things.

“I’ve got a headache. I’m going to go and try to sleep it off,” she said, trying to put on a brave face.

“Want us to come up with you?” Chloe asked, a frown on her pretty face.

“No, it’s good. Mind if I sleep in the bed?” she asked as she passed the bag to Max.

“Go ahead…” Max nodded, a concerned look on her face too. “You sure you don’t want us to come up too?”

“Mhm, it’s okay,” Rachel said, reinforcing her decision.

Closing the living room door behind her, she quietly went upstairs to Max’s bedroom, observing the family photographs that adorned the walls. A niggling feeling at the back of her head told her she’d never be welcomed into this family like Chloe would be, but she didn’t know where the thoughts were coming from.

Throwing herself down on Max’s bed, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and dropped it on the bedside table. She hadn’t felt this alone in a long time, isolated from the people she cared about. It reminded her of the months in San Francisco, existing without direction or purpose. It also reminded her of how the drugs from Frank would help, to remove those doubts and fears, to cut loose and not feel.

There was only one person she wanted to reach out to. She grabbed her phone and quickly began punching in a text.

**Rachel:**

_ Hey, you busy? Xo _

She placed the phone on her stomach, waiting for the reply, hoping she wasn’t interrupting something. The response was quicker than she’d hoped, which brought a smile to her face.

**Jen:**

_ Never too busy for you. You ok? Having fun? xo _

**Rachel:**

_ Can’t cuddle my girls. Can’t be close under parents’ watchful eyes. Fucking hate it. I want to come home. _

Her phone started ringing not long after sending the last text, and she knew before looking at the caller ID it would be Jen.

“Hi…” she said as she answered the call.

“Why can’t you cuddle your fucking girlfriends? What’s it to them what you do?” Jen said, the anger evident in her voice.

“We haven’t told them yet… Max doesn’t want to have the conversation twice and her dad’s been busy all day,” she explained, rolling onto her side to look out the window at the snow-filled clouds. “But… I’m getting jealous having to watch them together… I know they don’t mean to rub it in my face but…”

“Rach… important question… have you actually told them how you’re feeling?” Jen said, but Rachel could almost hear the smile in her voice.

“No…” she answered, already knowing what she should have done.

“I figured, because you know Max would be all over you in an instant, and so would Blue.” Jen laughed, which in turn made Rachel smile.

“I’m stupid… aren’t I?” She smirked as she thought about how she’d still prefer to be back in San Francisco in their shitty apartment, because it meant she’d be able to hold her girlfriends.

“No, Rach. You’re in love, girl! And for the last two months you’ve practically been attached to them. Just… admire them, love the fact they’re getting the time together in public, and then steal one of them for yourself later. Find the balance! I know you three can do it,” Jen said softly, her explanation soothing some of the chaos in Rachel’s heart and mind.

“How do you always know how to give the best advice?” Rachel asked as she allowed herself to smile.

“Eh, I can give it, but I certainly can’t fucking take it.” Jen laughed softly. “Except… maybe from you three. Funny how things work out.”

“Glad we’re such good influences on your bad girl habits,” Rachel said with a grin. “So what are you doing right now?”

“Lying in bed… talking to a friend. Brooke and Kelly are out seeing their families,” Jen answered with a sigh.

“Next year… we need to do something together, all six of us.”

“That would actually be really nice… well shit, I have something to look forward to. Now… stop bugging me, text Blue or Max, get them to join you, and pounce them into bed. Be sexy, be you, and stop being so fucking depressing. You have two girlfriends who love you; enjoy them.”

“Yes, boss.” Rachel laughed as she wondered how she would word that text. “Thanks, Jen.”

“Anything for you. Seriously… I’ll even take you to bed if you want.” Rachel could already see the teasing smirk on Jen’s lips and laughed at the thought.

“Stop it… I’m happily committed.”

“Then go be committed, you idiot.”

“Alright, alright. I’m going,” Rachel said with a smile on her face as she sat up. “Have a good Christmas Jen, I’ll see you soon.”

“You too! Take care.” Jen hung up the phone first, leaving Rachel alone with the silence in the room.

She looked at her phone, wondering whether she should disturb her girlfriends. After what Jen had said, she knew she wanted a piece of time with one of them. She just couldn’t decide which one, or whether she wanted them both. To be the centre of their attention for a little while.

The bedroom door suddenly opened and Chloe’s blue hair appeared first as she stuck her head inside.

“You alright?” Chloe said, closing the door behind her.

“Kinda… sorta?” Rachel answered, lying back down on the bed as Chloe came closer.

“Something I can do? Maybe a flashlight with a starglobe? Bottle of wine?” Chloe teased playfully as she got closer.

“Maybe… a kiss?” Rachel smirked as Chloe knelt down beside the bed.

“Tall order.” Chloe chuckled, taking hold of Rachel’s hand. “But… I think it’s doable.” 

Like the kiss below the streetlamp, it started with a single kiss and turned into something more. Rachel placed a hand on Chloe’s cheek and started trying to ease her onto the bed with her. The blue-haired girl didn’t resist, carefully climbing onto the bed as Rachel enjoyed the touch once more.

As their kiss parted, Chloe flicked her nose over Rachel’s, as she’d seen her do with Max.

“So… what’s really up?” Chloe asked as Rachel looked into her blue eyes.

“It’s hard, keeping the secret. Not being able to be… us,” Rachel admitted as she pressed her head to Chloe’s. “Makes me wish we were home, away from this.”

“Well… we won’t need to keep it much longer. I’ve come up because… Ryan’s finally stopped being busy. Max wants to tell them,” Chloe whispered cheerfully. “No more hiding.”

“Really?” Rachel said, smiling at the news.

“Yeah… so let’s go down and get this over with so we can stop hiding who we are.”

* * *

Sitting on the couch downstairs under her parents’ expecting gaze was not her idea of fun. Her dad had a way of looking at her that felt like he could see into her soul, and it made her uncomfortable. She wanted Chloe to hurry up and bring Rachel back downstairs so they could get through the next big reveal, to tell her parents about their happiness.

“So how was LA?” her dad asked.

“It was fun… we got loads of pictures, especially for my portfolio. I’ve made sure to stick to our agreement,” Max answered with a smile.

“Good. Have you been looking at another course?” he said with a polite nod.

“Not yet. But I have been looking for work. Chloe and Rachel too,” she replied with a small shrug.

“So she’s been travelling with you? Rachel?” her mom asked.

“Uhm, yeah. We went back to San Francisco to get her stuff,” Max said, trying to be careful how much she told her parents. She really didn’t want to have to them about her powers; they’d probably end up throwing her into a mental hospital or thinking she was on drugs.

“I thought she’d have some kind of job? Staying in San Francisco for so long?” her dad said, a curious look on his face.

“It fell through…” she lied, wishing the two girls would hurry up so she could avoid the bombardment of questions.

Her prayers were answered when Rachel and Chloe finally entered the living room, offering a small wave to Ryan and Vanessa before they made themselves comfortable on the couch beside her. It was a tight squeeze with three people on a two seater, but they made it work.

“So… you wanted to tell us something?” Max’s mom said with a smile once everybody was settled.

“Yeah… uhm… okay,” Max said, looking to the two girls sat beside her. She could feel the nerves taking hold, the need for one of her girlfriends to take the lead like they were sometimes so good at doing.

Chloe looked as nervous as she felt, and Rachel was looking back at her with her own fear in her eyes. None of them knew how to tell them; they hadn’t even practiced it. When neither of them said anything, Max tried for herself, hoping her parents would understand.

“Okay so… uhm…” she said again, looking expectantly at her parents, hoping her dad would guess and make everything easier again.

“Come on sweetie, out with it,” her mom said, nodding gently.

“So… you know how Chloe and I are a couple?” she started, trying to ease into the announcement.

“Uh-huh…” her dad said with a grin.

“Well… when Rachel and I really got to know each other… things kind of happened and it’s not just… Chloe and I together anymore,” she explained, but she knew she’d done it badly.

“Oh so… you and Chloe have broken up? I’m sorry to hear that. At least you’re still friends,” her mom said gently, apparently trying to put on a brave face.

“No, no… oh, this is difficult…” Max muttered, looking to Chloe for support.

“What Max means to say is… the three of us are… well instead of a couple… we’re a…” Chloe said, trying to sound brave but even Max could hear the quiver in her voice.

“We’re a triad, a three way relationship. We’re all… together, Max and Chloe, Chloe and me, Max and I…” Rachel quickly announced.

Max wasn’t sure what passed over her father’s face, but she could see the twitch behind his beard as he struggled to smile or grin. She rarely saw that twitch, but it never meant anything good.

“You’re… all dating?” Vanessa said with a frown on her face.

“You’re dating my daughter?” her dad grumbled, his eyes clearly locked on Rachel.

“She’s awesome, I’m… really lucky to have her in my life,” Rachel said as she extended a hand across Chloe’s lap to hold Max’s.

“I bet you are…” Ryan mumbled, his eyes darting between the three girls.

“You’ve been talking to my stepdad,” Chloe retorted, obviously having picked up on the tone of his voice.

“Of course. He told us all about Rachel and her drug habits, as well as what she was pulling you into,” Ryan said, rounding on Chloe.

“What?” Rachel yelled, releasing Max’s hand.

“You’re listening to David when you’ve never even met Rachel?” Max demanded, almost forgetting who she was talking to.

“It’s not like that, dear,” Max’s mom said, trying to defuse the situation.

“It actually sounds just like that,” Chloe answered harshly. “Rachel was not a bad influence!”

“She was caught muling drugs for the local drug dealer, Maxine,” her dad responded harshly. “Of course I’m going to be concerned about the kind of people you’re traveling with, especially if they have a history of substance abuse.”

“That is bullshit!” Rachel shouted, standing up with the fire in her eyes. “I was a kid, I was in a bad fucking place. It’s not up to you to judge me,” she yelled as Chloe stood up, placing her hands on Rachel’s shoulders trying to calm her down.

“But it is up to me to protect my daughter!” Ryan retorted just as loudly, but Max knew his voice could go louder if he wanted. 

“Pop… please,” Max said weakly, trying to be heard over Chloe as she started replying.

“Max is fine! I’d never let anything happen to her and Rachel doesn’t do drugs! She doesn’t even fucking smoke!” Chloe shouted, drowning Max out.

“That’s not what we heard though,” Vanessa said, standing up for her husband.

“Please… don’t fight. I love them both! They’re part of my life!” Max said a little louder.

“You can’t love two people, Max. That’s not how it works,” her mom said, trying to sound sympathetic, like Max didn’t know what she was talking about.

“We should go…” Rachel growled. “I’m not going to stay somewhere I’m not wanted.”

“We invited you into our home knowing your past, Rachel,” Vanessa said soothingly. “We’re just not… sure about you dating our daughter.”

“Well, it’s not up to you,” Chloe retorted defensively. “Max made up her own mind.”

“Or was she manipulated?” Ryan said aggressively. “We’ve heard about how she manipulated you, Chloe. You used to be so good at science but then you dropped out.”

“I was expelled, and that wasn’t Rachel’s fault,” Chloe growled through gritted teeth.

As the fighting intensified, Max tried to down it out. Hiding inside herself as Rachel demanded to leave, Chloe fought her corner and her parents fought their own. She couldn’t believe it was going so badly, and she didn’t want to rewind it away when they’d probably have to go through it again, but she didn’t want everybody’s Christmas to be ruined either.

Reluctantly, she tapped into those wonderful powers that had saved Chloe’s, Rachel’s, and Jen’s lives and rewound time, watching the fight in reverse until her parents’ features returned to normal and she hadn’t yet made the announcement. She released the energy and wondered how to phrase it, how to say what needed to be said.

“Come on sweetie, out with it,” her mom said, the kindness in her voice nothing like what she’d just heard.

Her second attempt went no better than the first:With Rachel storming out of the living room to get her things. Max was forced to undo the damage once more, something she wished she didn’t have to do. She didn’t want her family to hate Rachel. She wanted them to accept her as they’d accepted Chloe.

“Come on sweetie, out with it,” her mom said again.

She took a moment to collect herself, putting the finishing touches on the announcement she had worked on during the last failed attempt.

“The three of us… are together, a triad,” she started off. “We’re happy together, Rachel is my model, Chloe is our lovable driver and bodyguard and… I want to have a nice Christmas with my family. So…” She thought how to word what she wanted to say quickly, determined to cut off another argument before it could begin. “I hope you can be happy for me, especially after everything we’ve gone through lately.”

Chloe looked at her curiously, but she didn’t expand on what she’d just seen them all doing. Max didn’t want Rachel to know just what her parents really thought of her right then. The same twitch in her father’s beard told her he wasn’t happy, but he didn’t elaborate further like the first time, merely nodding his head.

“So…” he said, dragging out the word. “You met Rachel and… the three of you hit it off?”

“Something like that,” she answered quickly. “Rach and Chloe were already close, but even they didn’t realise until we all had a really… emotional night…” she lied, quickly making up a story to try to avoid the fight she’d just witnessed. “It was just so great to see her alive.”

“I’m sure,” Ryan nodded gently.

“It was definitely a surprise to hear you were alive and well in San Francisco, Rachel,” Vanessa said gently.

“I got really lucky… but I couldn’t face what had happened. I met some really nice people who looked after me and when I heard on the news what had happened to Arcadia… I called Chloe, I needed to know she was okay,” Rachel nodded, another lie to add to their pile.

When the conversation continued away from what could have become another fight, Max finally let out a sigh of relief. She leaned against Chloe, trying to forget the memory of the fight. It would happen again; she knew it would happen after Christmas instead, but at least they could enjoy a couple more days before chaos reasserted itself over their lives.

Eventually her mom left the room to sort out dinner, while Ryan joked with Chloe about her truck and how William would be proud of the talents she had. Rachel excused herself to go back upstairs, followed closely by Max who wanted to get away from the talk about vehicles.

As soon as they were in her bedroom, she sat down on the edge of her bed as the argument replayed itself in her mind. Rachel’s hands slipped gently around her waist from behind and she felt the soft touch of Rachel’s lips on her ear.

“Well done… with the announcement,” Rachel purred softly, making Max smile.

“It… didn’t go as planned straight away,” she admitted as she pressed her head to Rachel’s.

“Did you rewind?” Rachel asked. Max expected her grip to slacken, but instead it tightened.

“Mhm… twice, it… wasn’t what I was expecting to happen,” Max explained as she closed her eyes, trying to forget it.

“They didn’t agree, did they?” Rachel asked sadly.

“It’s not up to them who I love, or who I’m with,” Max retorted.

“But they are your parents, Max. I… don’t want to be responsible for you arguing with yours,” Rachel argued, loosening her grip to sit beside Max with her chin on Max’s shoulder.

“They’ll understand eventually… I’m not changing my mind about you, Rach.” She smiled as she turned her head to look into Rachel’s beautiful eyes. “After the other day… after everything we went through…” she sighed.

“Max… what happened? Talk to me babe,” Rachel said, turning to put her legs around Max.

“It’s babe now is it?” Max whispered as she put an arm around Rachel and the other on her knee.

“Babe, sexy, Maxi, hot stuff, Time Lady… I could come up with others,” Rachel teased gently. “But tell me what happened.”

“It’ll ruin your Christmas,” Max replied, shaking her head.

“Well it’s ruined yours if you’re going to let it bother you,” Rachel retorted. “Plus, you can’t leave me hanging now.”

“Everybody kept fighting over it,” she answered honestly. “They’ve been speaking to David… he’s not said a single good thing about you.”

“I never expected him to’ he’s a fucking asshole,” Rachel sighed. “So… I guess they have a pretty shitty opinion of me?”

“Mhm…” Max nodded, placing her forehead against Rachel’s. “But… their opinion doesn’t matter to me.”

“No?” Rachel asked, her eyes locked on Max’s.

“No. I fell in love with you knowing about your past and what happened with all that shit,” Max smirked. “I knew all about Frank and Jeffershit… I still… developed feelings, I still care for the girl behind the masks.”

“I don’t have any masks with you, Max… I lost them in Arcadia Bay,” Rachel sighed softly. “You… picked up the pieces and put me back together again. You gave me a future.”

As Max felt the brush of Rachel’s lips against her own the door opened. They pulled away from one another quickly, worried it was one of Max’s parents until they noticed it was just Chloe. The blue haired girl was laughing at their sudden attempt to move apart.

“Jeez… you two really jumped,” Chloe smirked as she kicked the door closed.

“Thought it might be my mom,” Max retorted as Rachel got comfortable with her legs around her again.

“Yeah… thanks for leaving me with your dad by the way,” Chloe grumbled as she sat down at the top of the bed. “He loves his cars… but you could have pulled me away.”

“Needed some time after the announcement,” Max muttered as she rest her head against Rachel’s once more.

“You had to rewind, didn’t you?” Chloe asked, a knowing look in her blue eyes.

“It seems Max’s parents don’t like me… because of Step-fucker,” Rachel said for Max. “He told them all about me and my terrible habits and reckless behaviour.”

“Fuck…” Chloe murmured. “So… we all got into a fight?” she asked, getting it right first time.

“Twice,” Max added. “It’s why I said what I did… try to stop it before it happens.”

“I should be mad that you rewinded us…” Rachel whispered, her grip around Max tightening. “But… it’s not like you had a chance to ask, and I appreciate you want a good Christmas.”

“It’s still gonna happen though, isn’t it? Why not get the fight out of the way?” Chloe asked with a frown creasing her brow.

“Both times… Rachel wanted to leave, and I couldn’t blame you,” Max answered keeping a tight grip on Rachel in turn. “So… really I have to ask… knowing this, do you want to stay? Or… shall we go home tonight?”

Rachel looked away from Max toward Chloe for a moment, making her wonder whether her need to tell them both the truth was about to undo her needs for rewinds. The blonde girl shocked her, though, when she shook her head and kissed her on the cheek.

“We’ll stay… it’s your family, it’s for you. I’m happy wherever you two are, as long as I don’t have to hide how I feel about you both anymore,” she answered, making Max smile.

“Deal. No hiding our relationship… but let’s be respectful? They are my parents,” Max asked, afraid at how overbearing the two girls could be if they had their way.


	36. The Caulfield Christmas

The night before Christmas, the three girls refused to sleep apart again. There was enough space on the floor for them to sleep together, and no matter how much Rachel protested, Max wanted to sleep beside her after the argument she had witnessed. They had reorganised the covers and duvets so they could all sleep together, with Rachel squashed in the middle.

As Max slept, she dreamt of the fight, the injustice that her dad had listened to David without getting to know Rachel first. It angered her more that her mom had sat there and allowed him to insult a girl she loved. They should have been on Max’s side, they should have been the caring, loving parents she had always known.

On cue, she awoke with the pain behind her eyes, but she had no intention of getting up. She tapped into the power she possessed and froze time to ease her pain, rolling onto her side with the intention of snuggling up to Rachel once more. Floating gently above Chloe was the blue butterfly, illuminated by the glow from its wings. 

She glanced at her girlfriend and noticed Chloe was moving, breathing. At first, she thought she was pulled into the freeze without being touched, only to realise her hand was on top of Chloe’s on Rachel’s stomach. The blonde girl was frozen like the rest of the world around them, and it saddened her to think Rachel may never share in her gift.

When her headache had eased off, she released the power and rest her head on Rachel’s shoulder. She watched Chloe for a moment as the sleep once more started to overwhelm her, appreciating her facial features as her mouth hung upon. It was the last thing she saw before sleep swallowed her once more, dragging her back to far better dreams than she had originally been having.

“Max…” she heard Rachel whispering gently. “Maaax…” she heard her again, slowly pulling her away from her dream. She’d only just fallen asleep, she was sure of it. “Wake up…” Rachel purred into her ear.

“Timesit?” she mumbled, rolling towards the sound of Rachel’s voice.

“Nine in the morning… we wanna open our presents,” Chloe answered cheerfully from nearby.

The mention of presents woke Max a little quicker; she’d been looking forward to seeing what her two girlfriends had bought her. “You let me sleep in?” she asked sharply before she saw Rachel’s disarming smile.

“You looked like you needed it,” Rachel whispered gently as she caressed Max’s cheek.

“Want a moment to wake up?” Chloe asked as she rest her head on Rachel’s shoulder to look at Max.

“Fuck that… presents!” Max grinned, kicking back the covers with a laugh.

The three of them pulled on jeans and shirts before charging out of Max’s bedroom and down the stairs, making more noise than they had intended. They burst into the living room before Max dropped to her knees, skidding to a halt at the base of the Christmas tree, followed closely by Chloe and Rachel as they looked through the assembled presents for the ones with their names on them.

“This one’s yours,” Chloe said, passing a present across Max to Rachel.

“One for you.” Rachel giggled as she handed another to Max. 

“A couple more here for Max…” Chloe said, sliding a small present towards Max.

Slowly, they stacked their presents behind them until they could find no more with their names on them. By then, Max’s parents had entered the living room, laughing at the three girls on their knees by the tree still acting like children.

“Did you sort ours, too?” Ryan asked as he gave Max a kiss on the top of her head.

“No, Pop… I’m too excited!” She laughed as she started sliding her collection of presents towards a couch.

Chloe and Rachel had done the same, and they were all soon propped up against the couch, still sat on the floor with their presents.

“Should we take it in turns? Or just go nuts?” Rachel asked with a smirk.

“Take it in turns… make the most of it,” Max answered as she watched her father passing presents to her mom.

“Then I think… Rachel should go first,” Chloe said, taking a present off Rachel’s pile and handing it to her. “Specifically… this one.”

“Why this one?” Rachel asked curiously, turning the small gift over in her hands.

“You’ll see…” Chloe smiled, putting an arm around Max and pulling her close.

Carefully, Rachel ripped into the paper to reveal a simple white box. She frowned at Chloe’s expectant face for a moment before opening the box to reveal a bracelet similar to the one Max had seen in so many pictures of her. It was different, though; instead of just the blue, there was a shot of red in it as well.

“Oh… my God… Chloe, where did you get this?” Rachel almost shouted as she took it out of the box.

“It’s… why it took so long to get your presents. I had to get it custom made,” Chloe explained as Rachel pushed Max’s presents away to sit in front of them.

“You… had this made, for me?” Rachel asked as Max helped her put it on her left wrist, the final piece of her look now replaced.

“Mhm… you like it?” Chloe said as Max released Rachel’s wrist.

Rachel’s answer came in a lunge at Chloe, pressing their lips together inches from Max’s face as the emotions took hold of the blonde-haired girl. As Rachel finally released Chloe from her excitement, she quickly planted a kiss on Max’s lips too. When she withdrew from Max and returned to her space, she had a wide smirk on her face as she eyed her brand new bracelet. Max noticed her parents had averted their eyes from the very public displays of affection and couldn’t help but wonder if Rachel had planned the extra kiss just to show off to them. 

“Okay… Max next, this one…” Chloe said, picking the present for her as well.

“You just want to see our expressions first,” Rachel commented as she leaned into Max.

Max took the present and looked at the careful wrapping. She looked for an opening to slip her finger into and ripped the paper open, tearing it off until she revealed another box.

“This better not be expensive,” she muttered as she stared at the plain box.

“Special… I hope.” Chloe shrugged as Max nudged her in the ribs.

“Anything from you is special, you dork…” Max retorted.

“Oh, stop dragging it out and open the damn box,” Rachel said with a small laugh.

Taking a deep breath, Max quickly snapped open the box. Her hand went to her mouth in shock and surprise as she looked at a beautiful silver butterfly pendant. She touched it once to make sure it was real, but was still surprised at how thoughtful Chloe had been.

“I hope you like it, considering your recent… butterfly fiasco,” Chloe whispered into her ear.

“I absolutely love it!” she answered, turning to Chloe and wrapping her arms around Chloe’s neck. She wasn’t as forceful with the kiss she gave Chloe, but she poured as much love into the moment as possible so Chloe knew how she felt. “Thank you,” she breathed as they parted.

“You’re worth it,” Chloe said with a smile on her face and a beautiful glint in her blue eyes.

“Come on, let’s put this on you,” Rachel whispered, taking the jewellery from Max’s hands.

She sat facing Chloe while Rachel put the pendant around her neck. Max couldn’t take her eyes off the punk girl in front of her. As soon as Rachel gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder to indicate she was done, she moved forwards to kiss Chloe once more and heard Rachel giggle.

“Alright… put her down,” Rachel said, gently pulling them apart. “More presents to go yet.”

“I know,” Max responded, glancing at her parents who she had forgotten were there for a moment. “Sorry…” she offered with a small shrug.

“It’s okay, sweetie, we were young once too,” her mom said with a small smile.

“Hard to imagine,” Rachel whispered quietly, making Max smile slightly despite it being about her parents. “Okay… Chloe should open both of ours.”

“I agree.” Max nodded as she leaned back into Rachel, staring at Chloe. “We’ve opened ours from you… you need to open yours.”

“I thought we were taking it in turns?” Chloe protested with a small grin.

“Game changer… open your presents, Price!” Rachel growled playfully.

Chloe slid the two presents towards her and Max couldn’t help but notice the different in size. She hoped it wouldn’t become a competition over who got the better gift, but she couldn’t help but worry. It was their first Christmas, their first anything where they were exchanging gifts.

She watched as Chloe tore into the larger present first, throwing aside pieces of paper as the image on the side was revealed. Max wondered if Rachel had borrowed the box from Jen, as the picture of the punk boots on the side would certainly fit her style. Chloe opened the box and took out the pair of boots, a look of awe on her face.

“Holy… shit, these are fucking awesome!” Chloe laughed as she hefted the boots. “Hella fucking awesome!”

“I’m glad you like them. Jen helped me pick; I didn’t even know if you’d like them,” Rachel said as Chloe hugged her, squashing Max between them. “I hope they’re okay?”

“I love them! You’ve never spent so much on me before,” Chloe responded as she looked at the boots again. “Thank you so much!”

“Was I the only one who stuck to our limit?” Max asked as she played with the pendant around her neck.

“Probably, yeah…” Rachel answered with a grin. “I… wanted to do something really nice, after LA and everything else.” She’d glanced at Max’s parents, giving her some idea of what she meant. 

“But that just means we’re spoiling you,” Chloe whispered before kissing Max on the forehead. 

“Come on, open the one from Max,” Rachel ordered, pushing Chloe away playfully. “I wanna see what she got you.”

“What? You don’t know?” Chloe asked as she picked up the smaller gift and turned it over in her hands. 

“Max has been secretive,” Rachel teased.

“She was always good at keeping secrets for presents,” Ryan said, reminding them all that Max’s parents were watching and listening. “For everything else? Not so much.”

“Thanks, Pop.” Max rolled her eyes at her dad’s comment. 

“You’re welcome.”

Once more, Chloe ripped into the present she’d been told to open. Max was nervous it wasn’t going to be enough after Rachel’s present, that it was somehow going to fall flat. She held her breath as Chloe opened the box beneath the wrapping paper.

“Oh… Max…” Chloe sighed as she took the black choker out of the box. 

It wasn’t grand or overbearing, but she’d tried to pick something to match Chloe’s wonderful style with the amount of money she had. The black choker had silver hoops so something else could be hung from it. At the front was a silver disk with a raven depicted upon it. Chloe flipped the disk around and smiled at the inscription Max had wanted engraved.

“I will always be with you. Love, Max.” Chloe read out as she wiped a tear from her eyes. “I love it… I really fucking love it,” she said, pulling Max into the warmest embrace.

“It… jumped out at me,” Max explained as she wrapped her arms around Chloe. “And I wanted something you could wear whenever you want.”

“I’m never taking it off…” Chloe retorted as she held the item out to Max. “So help me put it on.”

“You better take it off sometimes…” Rachel teased as Max helped Chloe with the choker.

“Not too tight?” she asked as her fingers brushed against Chloe’s skin.

“Perfect fit,” Chloe answered with a warm smile. “Thank you, Max. I love it…” she said again.

“Rachel’s next…” Max said quickly, turning to Rachel to see a smile on her face and in her eyes.

“I was going to say you… but fine.” Rachel grinned as she picked up the present.

Max turned towards Rachel and felt Chloe rest her chin on her shoulder to watch. She was aware of her parents watching them, aware of how close Chloe and Rachel were being with her, and she couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable. She didn’t want to ask them to stop being themselves, but she did wonder if they were being a bit more touchy because of what she’d told them about the fight and rewind. 

Rachel and Chloe were both rebellious girls; they played off of one another to cause chaos, and she knew this based on the stories they had both told her. It would only make sense for them to flip Max’s parents the bird while kissing her, if only for their need to rebel. 

As Rachel’s fingers slipped through the opening in the wrapping paper, she peeled it away from a similar box to the one Max had given to Chloe. Rachel threw the paper aside, casting a quick glance at Max. She had a knowing look in her hazel eyes  when she slowly opened the box. A smile crossed Rachel’s lips  when she pulled out a similar choker to the one Chloe now wore, except this one had gold hoops and disk at the front.

“A lioness…” Rachel said as she happily showed it off to Chloe.

“You’re a Leo, it seemed to fit…” Max shrugged as Rachel looked at the back of the disc.

“I will never let you go. Love, Max.” Rachel read aloud. “I love it Max… thank you so much,” Rachel said, wiping a tear from her own eye. “Put it on for me?”

Once again, Max took the choker and helped put it around her neck. It felt just right to Max, and Rachel wasn’t complaining as she flicked the disc.

“Is it okay?” Max asked, worried she hadn’t done enough or put enough thought into their gifts.

“Chloe and I match… of course it’s okay!” Rachel said, wrapping her arms around Max and giving her a big hug. “Thank you, Max… thank you so much.”

“We’ll need to get you one when we go back to San Francisco… so you can match us.” Chloe chuckled as Rachel moved away. 

“Okay, Max… now it’s time for your present from me.” Rachel grinned as she slid the box towards Max.

Finding a place to get a hold, Max slowly tore into the paper then froze as she saw the picture on the top of the box. She looked at Rachel’s face, noticing the nerves but the hope in her eyes.

“You… bought me a digital camera?” she asked gently, noticing Rachel’s face start to fall.

“I’d… kind of hoped you might like it… I know you like analogue but…” Rachel started to say, a sad hint to her voice that Max didn’t want to hear.

“I love it…” Max said quickly, smiling as widely as she could. “I love analogue. I won’t stop using it for our adventures but… I’ve been thinking I need to get into the digital age, to make our work together easier…” she explained quickly, noticing Rachel’s face start to light up.

“So… you like it?” Rachel asked as the smile tugged at her lips.

“Hella love it,” Max answered as she tore at more of the wrapping.

“It… didn’t break the bank, but I spent ages trying to find the best one that wasn’t too expensive,” Rachel said as Max pulled off the rest of the wrapping.

“Cost of polaroid film might go down now,” Vanessa said with a laugh, making both Ryan and Chloe laugh as well.

“You’ve no idea how many polaroids are up in the apartment in San Francisco…” Chloe suddenly said. Max glanced at her, but the damage was done unless she rewound it.

“Apartment?” Ryan asked.

“At my friend’s… where we’ve been staying. With Jen? I’ve mentioned her,” Rachel said, quickly applying a lie to Chloe’s mistake. 

“Oh, yes, we heard you mention her,” Vanessa said. Fortunately neither of her parents pursued the topic any further, giving Max some time to look at the camera Rachel had gifted to her.

She looked at it and the instructions and knew she was going to lose most of her day using it and taking pictures of Chloe and Rachel. While she was engrossed in playing with her new gadget, Rachel and Chloe opened the rest of their small stack of presents. Max’s parents had bought them chocolate because they didn’t know what else to buy for them, but both Chloe and Rachel appeared happy. 

Jen, Kelly, and Brooke had also forced presents into their hands in San Francisco, which had been placed under the tree as well. Fortunately, Max spotted the tag on the top of one before they started opening them. ‘Do not open in front of parents’ it read, making Rachel chuckle when she saw it.

“They’re for later…” she said, pushing the presents to one side. “Gifts from friends.” She shrugged. Max hoped the excuse would stop her parents from becoming suspicious.

* * *

 

After waiting politely for Vanessa and Ryan to open their presents, they all sat down together for breakfast in the kitchen. Max’s nose had been in the information booklet for her camera, while Rachel couldn’t help herself from admiring her new bracelet. It wasn’t exactly the same; so much was different about it, but this one was from Chloe. She knew exactly how much it meant to Rachel, which also made her regret giving the other one to Frank.

They soon returned to Max’s bedroom with their presents from San Francisco. Max sat herself back down on the bed with her camera beside her, fiddling with the battery to charge it while she kept poking through the booklet. Rachel pulled Chloe to sit down with her on their adhoc bed, stroking the blue hair out of Chloe’s eyes.

“I’m really sorry…” she whispered as Chloe put an arm around her.

“For what?” Chloe asked with a frown.

“For Frank… I should never have given him that bracelet,” she answered sadly as she rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder. 

“It’s… the past, it doesn’t matter.” Chloe shrugged as she tentatively brushed a strand of Rachel’s hair behind her ear. 

“It does matter. To me,” she argued gently as she took Chloe’s hand in her own. “All those years ago… you never asked for my bracelet. You knew what it meant to me. You asked for… something so much more personal.”

“Maybe I should have asked for that bracelet. Then I could pull it out and be all, ‘Hey, I found it’... then you’d owe me,” Chloe teased playfully, causing Rachel to nudge her in the ribs. 

“I already owe you, dummy. You bought me this one…” Rachel smiled, touching the red threads mixed with the blue. “So… why the red? Why not… a replica?”

“I guess… I didn’t want to copy your past. I wanted you to have something different, so you knew it was… ya know… from me,” Chloe replied with a smile.

“It’s definitely from you, Chloe Price,” Rachel purred as she released Chloe’s hand. “I love it…”

They turned their heads and started to lean in to kiss one another when Max’s head suddenly appeared over the edge of the bed, blocking their moment. Rachel wasn’t angry, and Chloe didn’t seem it. Instead they both planted a kiss on Max’s cheeks as dramatically as possible.

“I heard you getting emotional,” Max teased as she moved her head away. “Want me to leave the room and let you two…?”

“Fuck no, you dork.” Rachel laughed as Max climbed off the bed.

“Like your new camera?” Chloe asked as Max sat in front of them both.

“I’ll probably get to use it tonight… it needs to charge up,” Max answered as she looked at Rachel. “I really fucking love it though.”

“You better… I want our photoshoots on that thing,” Rachel said as she smiled at the brunette girl in front of her. 

“Deal… but I won’t have to get as close,” Max commented, giving Rachel a moment’s pause.

“Oh, you will. Trust me,” Rachel teased, taking hold of Max’s hand and pulling her towards them.

Chloe grabbed Max’s other hand and in moments Max was sat in Rachel’s lap while Chloe reached for their gifts from their friends. When she was comfortable, Max put her legs over Chloe’s lap, almost possessively, but she was resting against Rachel.

“Okay… Chloe has the pleasure of opening them,” Rachel said as she tightened her grip on Max to keep her close. “I’ve got the cute girl, so you’ve got the gifts.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Chloe responded with a grin, already ripping into the wrapping paper.

Inside was yet another box, which Chloe carefully opened to reveal six beer bottles, carefully wrapped and buffeted by rolled up pieces of paper.

“So… that explains the lack of any clinking.” Chloe laughed as she took the bottles out of the box carefully.

“There’s a letter,” Max said, pointing to a piece of paper that had come out with the second bottle.

“Read it!” Chloe chuckled, passing the note to Max who flicked it open for Rachel to see.

“To the Gorgeous Triad, hope you didn’t open this in front of the parents! Consider it a smuggled gift in case you’re not allowed alcohol. Gonna miss you, so make sure you’re back in time for New Year’s! Party at ours, you’re all invited. Love lots, Jen, Kelly, and Brooke.” Rachel read out loud.

“Gotta love pirates,” Max teased as she folded up the letter.

“Two each then?” Chloe said quickly.

“Yep… just like we have two girlfriends each,” Rachel joked before she kissed Max’s shoulder firmly.

“I… couldn’t have wished for a better Christmas,” Max said as she pressed a little firmer to Rachel.

“Me either.” Chloe smiled as she caressed Max’s legs.

Max was the centre of their affections right then, though it hadn’t been the intention. Rachel had wanted to kiss Chloe and show her how much the bracelet meant to her in more than just words. The cute little photographer had interrupted them, but Rachel didn’t mind. It was part of being who they were, adapting to each other’s needs so nobody was missed out. 

“Would you like to go home tomorrow?” Max asked quietly.

“Don’t you want to stay with your parents for longer?” Rachel replied, looking at Chloe who merely shrugged her shoulders.

“After yesterday… I’d prefer you were happy, not under the microscope,” Max answered as she started fiddling with the lion disc on Rachel’s neck.

“We’ll leave after tomorrow, so we’re not getting ready today when we should be chilling out,” Rachel said with a smile.

“Yeah… we can handle unhappy parents,” Chloe added with a small smirk. “Step-douche comes to mind.”

“And my dad. Both assholes, both handled.” Rachel laughed softly. “We can deal with your parents if it makes you happy, Max.”

“And this… is why I love you both,” Max said with a smile. “You’re both amazing.”

* * *

 

Sitting at the dinner table knowing Ryan and Vanessa didn’t approve of their lifestyle choice, was one of the hardest things Chloe felt she had to do in a long time. She wouldn’t even tolerate David and his bullshit, so smiling and laughing at Ryan’s jokes was like torture for her. Like Rachel, she wanted Max to enjoy the time with her family, so she tried to focus on the smile on Max’s face and Rachel’s eyes.

“So… will the three of you be going back to San Francisco for New Year’s?” Vanessa asked as she started serving desserts.

“That was the plan… if you don’t mind,” Max answered for them. Chloe didn’t want to risk saying something that would undo their goals, even if Max was old enough to decide for herself.

“We’ll need to have a chat before you go,” Ryan said, a noticeable twitch in his beard again.

“What about?” Max frowned as she accepted a bowl from her mom.

“Where you’re staying… who you’re staying with. The cost.” Ryan listed off on his fingers. “You’re spending my money, Maxine. I’d like to know how it’s being spent.”

“Okay.” Max nodded, a wounded look in her eyes.

Chloe placed a consoling hand on her girlfriend’s knee, but Max didn’t look at her or acknowledge the gesture. She seemed more distant, and Chloe noticed she was playing with her food rather than eating it. Chloe couldn’t help but wonder if Max had just rewound something else.

After dinner, they went back upstairs to Max’s room where Rachel turned on the TV and started looking through Max’s DVD collection. Max sat on the bed, quickly joined by Chloe who put an arm around her girlfriend.

“What’s everybody in the mood for?” Rachel asked as she flicked through the DVDs.

“Something funny…” Chloe answered as Max leaned into her.

“Comedy it is.”

“Anything we need to worry about?” Chloe whispered to Max, who quickly shook her head. “You didn’t need to rewind?”

“No… I’m just a little worried about what he wants to talk about.” Max sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chest. “What if he says I can’t go back to San Francisco? What if he says I have to find a photography course?”

“It’s your life, Max… you decide,” Rachel offered as she put the DVD in the player.

“But…” Max started to protest as Rachel sat down on the other side of her.

“But nothing. Whatever you decide to do, I’m with you. Even if it means moving across the country for a photography course, I’ll go with you,” Rachel said, completely surprising Chloe.

“After all it took to get you out of Arcadia Bay… you’d go somewhere you don’t want to, for me?” Max asked with a frown. 

“For both of you, dummy.” Rachel laughed as she put an arm around Max as well, squashing the girl between them.

“No… your dream is to be a model or an actress, and we’re… we’re a family. We make decisions together,” Max retorted, releasing her legs and putting them over Chloe’s.

“As long as you’re happy, Max…” Chloe added, taking hold of Max’s hand. 

“As long as we’re all happy…” Max responded as she shifted her weight against Rachel and looked at Chloe with her pretty blue eyes.

They all cuddled together on the bed to watch the movie Rachel had selected. Rachel’s hand was in the back of Chloe’s hair, gently playing with her blue locks and making her scrunch her neck every so often as the blonde-haired girl tried to tickle her. Max remained decidedly quiet throughout the evening; her laughs sounded forced, and she wasn’t as engaging in the obvious displays of teasing or affection.

Chloe tried everything she knew to pull Max out of her slump, and eventually started to make some progress with Rachel’s help. They managed to get her smiling and laughing at their worst jokes until they finally had their happy girlfriend back, her concerns behind her for a while.

The following morning, Chloe woke up in their makeshift bed alongside Rachel, but Max was missing. She looked around for the brunette girl, but she wasn’t in the bedroom. Carefully, she climbed up off the floor and pulled on her jeans, then changed her vest top before leaving the room to go looking for Max. As she slowly descended the staircase, she could hear raised voices coming from beyond the closed living room door. Her curiosity got the better of her, but she could already hear Max’s voice.

“This isn’t fair! It’s not up to you who I date!” Max argued loudly.

“It is up to me how you spend my money though, Maxine, and I am not having you spend it on that drug user,” Ryan retorted loudly.

“She is not doing drugs! She’s clean; I’ve never seen her take any!” Max shouted back, a little louder than before.

“A leopard doesn’t change its spots. Eventually she will return to that lifestyle, and it will be you and Chloe cleaning up her mess!” Ryan growled.

“She’s not like that, Pop! Whatever David fucking told you isn’t the whole truth! I know her, she’s brilliant, she’s funny, she’s caring!”

“She’s manipulating you! And Chloe! She’s using your loving natures. She is spinning you a yarn, and I will not allow my daughter to be manipulated by somebody like that!”

“Pop… this is my life! I want to be with her and Chloe. I want to see where this life will go!” Max shouted. 

It brought a small smile to Chloe’s face, but she didn’t know why she was stood outside listening when she should be busting down the door and backing her up. She reached for the handle when she felt somebody catch her arm. Looking around, she saw Rachel beside her with a sad look in her hazel eyes.

“Have you ever heard Max yell so loudly?” Rachel asked as Chloe put an arm around her.

“No… never,” Chloe answered. Rachel pressed her head against Chloe’s shoulder.

“You will not be living on my money in that kind of relationship, Maxine! I won’t allow it,” Ryan shouted, causing Rachel to flinch.

“Fine! I won’t be living on your money, Pop! But I am not giving up my relationship with them! I thought… I thought you’d be happy for me!” Max argued loudly.

“We want the best for you!” Ryan retorted as Chloe heard a bang.

She reached for the door handle again, but it was yanked open from the other side before she could touch it. Max had her mouth open, about to yell something back when she looked at the worry on Chloe’s face. 

“They are the best for me…” Max said quietly, turning around to face her dad. “I’ve never felt… so alive than when I’m with them. Pop, with them anything is possible… and I won’t give them up. Please… just… be happy for me?”

Ryan let out an audible sigh as he stared at the three girls in the doorway, his beard twitching as a muscle in his cheek moved. Chloe reached out to take Max’s hand and the brunette girl took a step back into her arms, soon wrapped up by Rachel and Chloe.

“You’re leaving me with no other choice…” Ryan argued quietly. “I… don’t condone this Maxine.”

“Then… it’s…” Max mumbled. Chloe could hear the choked back sobs and tightened her grip on her. “It’s time we left…”


	37. Unexpected Outcome

The truck rolled through the snowy streets of Seattle as Rachel looked out from the passenger seat. The view was bleak yet a little magical in a strange way, especially after what had happened at the Caulfield;s. She shifted in her seat and felt Max snuggle in a little closer, her gentle sobs the only sound in the truck. 

While they organised all of their things she had been cold and determined, even after the barrage of begging for them to stay from Vanessa. She’d argued that Ryan would calm down, that he was concerned for Max. Max had refused to listen and Rachel and Chloe couldn’t change her mind after what they’d heard. They’d got dressed and packed their things before loading them all into Chloe’s truck. Max had said goodbye to her Mom, even forcing the credit cards into her hands despite Vanessa’s protests, but Max’s determination proved the strongest. She’d cut herself off from her father who didn’t agree with her choices.

As soon as they were in the truck, Max had started crying and hadn’t stopped. All Rachel could do was hold the girl lovingly to her side and try to comfort her through the emotions.

Rachel felt like it was all her fault though. If she’d not chased Max, if she’d been happy to stay with Jen instead of pursuing any hope of a triad with Chloe and Max, then this Christmas wouldn’t have ended with Max leaving her family in such a terrible state. She tightened her grip on the brunette girl, while Max squeezed her leg to acknowledge the comforting embrace.

“Max… did you try rewinding?” Chloe asked tentatively, the worry evident in her voice.

“Eight times… over and over, the same shit no matter what I did or said… and eventually, I had to stop,” Max answered as she wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.

“Nosebleed?” Rachel said, and felt the confirmation as Max nodded her head. “I’m… so fucking sorry.”

“For what? It’s not your fault,” Max managed to say as she wiped her eyes again.

“If we’d have kept it a secret…” Rachel started to argue, but was quickly shut down by Chloe.

“...You’d have been sad all day because you couldn’t be with us properly,” Chloe said with a glance at the two of them. 

“And we said no more secrets. No more masks, no more hiding… we are… us,” Max said, trying to sound more determined. Rachel could hear the cracks in her resolve but said nothing.

Silence pervaded the truck for a short time as they each retreated into their own thoughts. Rachel kept kicking herself mentally for not doing more, for not being the girlfriend they needed. Each time she looked at Chloe, she noticed the same frown on her features and guessed she was feeling the same way.

“We should have helped you  convince him” Chloe sighed sadly, shifting her position as they stopped at a traffic light.

“You tried… three times,” Max answered quietly. “It’s how I knew you were about to enter, but when I saw you… I just couldn’t keep fighting.”

“It’s okay, babe,” Rachel said gently, stroking a strand of hair from Max’s eyes. 

“Why didn’t you rewind with me? Tell me what was going on? We… could have helped,” Chloe argued softly.

Rachel let out a soft tut before she spoke. “Chloe… it’s Max’s choice. Like she told her dad.”

“Yeah but… we could have fought her corner, could have forced him to fucking listen. Instead… we’ve got no credit card…” Chloe started to rant, but Rachel quickly cut her off.

“It’s not about the money! We have enough, and we can cheat some more with gambling if things become tight… but we don’t need his money to live our lives,” Rachel retorted softly as she felt Max tighten her grip on her leg.

“I know… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” Chloe huffed as she smacked the steering wheel with her right hand. “I just… Max, I am so sorry your dad…”

“It’s fine, Chloe… I made the decision. It was my choice to leave,” Max quickly interjected, placing her other hand on Chloe’s knee. “Don’t go over it, please? I’ve been over it enough times… literally.”

“Alright, Max…” Chloe nodded quickly, making her new raven disc bounce against her neck.

They didn’t say much more as Seattle finally fell away behind them and they made their way south. It was an awkward trip; Rachel didn’t know what to say to help Max, and Max didn’t want to talk about it. They were now similar in yet another way, except while Ryan hadn’t been lying to Max, he hadn’t shown her the unconditional love she deserved either. The three of them were now all without their fathers, but only Chloe had lost hers in such a permanent way. Ripped away from her when she needed the stability.

“Can we pull over soon?” Rachel asked before they could reach Portland. “I need something to drink.”

“Sure,” Chloe agreed.

Chloe took the truck off the highway to the nearest gas station, taking care to pull over by the pumps to gas up the truck. Rather than waiting around, Rachel released Max and climbed out of the truck. She was halfway to the store when Max caught up to her, placing her hand in Rachel’s and offering her a weak smile.

They looked through the store’s options for drinks together, selecting something for themselves as well as for Chloe.

“Wanna talk?” Max asked as they stopped by the snacks.

“It’s nothing, just needed fresh air,” Rachel offered weakly as she took a bag of cookies off the shelves and passed them to Max.

“I know your nothings…” Max muttered softly. “I almost lost you over nothing.”

“Well… you won’t lose me over this nothing,” Rachel retorted with a quick squeeze of Max’s hand. “I promise, Max. I just need time to think.”

“I understand,” Max whispered before Chloe joined them.

After they’d paid for the gas, drinks, and treats, they were back on the road with Rachel at the wheel. Max had been outvoted and relegated to passenger for the entire journey, but she seemed comfortable leaning against Chloe.

Rachel and Chloe switched places a couple more times before they were finally entering San Francisco, far later into the night than they had expected. Max had eventually fallen asleep against Rachel and been covered in Chloe’s jacket to keep her warm. As they weaved through the city streets, Rachel couldn’t take her eyes off Chloe as the light caught the outline of her face. 

“You know… for months Max couldn’t wait to get back to you. If she could have fast forward instead of just rewind… I’d bet she would have done it,” Rachel commented, getting Chloe’s attention.

“But then she’d have missed out on getting to know you.” Chloe grinned as she glanced at Rachel. “I… wouldn’t give that up.”

“Am I really such a good influence on her though? I did drugs, Chloe. I got drunk, I fucked around… I was fucking terrible to you.”

“Hey! Don’t start kicking yourself again. You’re not that person anymore; you didn’t abandon me, and you never left Max.” 

“But I almost did… so maybe Ryan is right? What if I’m no good for either of you? What if… modelling or acting tempts me back to drugs?” Rachel asked, trying not to replay what she had heard.

“You won’t go back, because you’re not running away from anything anymore,” Chloe argued softly. “You’ve got us, Rach… you’re always going to have us.”

“But… what if… what if I fuck up? What if I’m really so bad? I mean… look at how I met Jen! I went out to get wasted and have a good time… I was lucky I didn’t meet another fucking weirdo,” Rachel rambled, careful not to raise her voice too much and wake Max.

“Have you ever, since we started this relationship, been tempted to even sleep with Jen again?” Chloe asked carefully, her brow furrowed when she looked Rachel’s way.

“No… how could I do that to either of you? You both mean the fucking world to me,” Rachel answered, feeling as though Chloe was accusing her of something.

“You just made my point…” Chloe grinned, and Rachel understood why she’d asked the question. “You’re not a bad person… you’re fucking incredible, and Max just walked out on her family for you.”

When they finally got home at almost two o’clock in the morning, they argued playfully over who should wake Max before Chloe reluctantly agreed to the task. Rachel helped their lovable girlfriend out of the truck and into their apartment while Chloe started unloading their bags. Entering the small apartment, Rachel flicked on the light as Max sleepily walked over to their bed. Max sat on the edge of the bed, kicking off her shoes and removing her jacket, which Rachel took from her to hang by the front door.

“Stripping out of anything else?” she tried to tease, only to receive a small smirk from Max.

“Wait and see,” Max retorted, trying to sound playful as she slid up the bed to get under the covers.

Leaving Max to get comfortable, Rachel left to help Chloe bring their things in, stopping only to flick off the ceiling light when Max put the lamp on by the bed.

“Have you let Jen know we’re back?” Chloe asked as they carried a couple of bags into the apartment.

“Not yet… figured I’d go and see her later today, if that’s okay?” Rachel offered as she dropped her bag on the floor beside the kitchen counter.

“You don’t need my permission,” Chloe said with a small smile.

“Well… with everything going on, I didn’t want you feeling like I’d abandoned you to look after Max,” Rachel explained quietly as they went back to the truck.

“Are you abandoning me?” Chloe asked, taking hold of Rachel’s hand as they reached their vehicle and turning her to face her. 

At first Rachel thought it was an honest question, then noticed the mischievous look in Chloe’s eyes under the streetlights and smirked.

“Never, Chloe… I waited too damn long to be with you,” she admitted quietly, placing a hand on Chloe’s shoulder.

“Good answer…” Chloe smiled as she gently pressed her lips to Rachel’s. 

It wasn’t what she was expecting after the chaos of the day, but she couldn’t refuse the soothing love Chloe could show her. The confirmation that she was important and loved despite the pain her past had once again caused. When Chloe started to pull away, Rachel refused to let the moment go, needing the time with the girl she loved to forget the troubles of the day. She placed a hand to Chloe’s neck and passionately kissed the girl.

Their loving moment intensified, and she felt the press of the vehicle against her back with Chloe’s hands holding her sides firmly. It was almost like their first kiss, only she knew what she wanted with Chloe. It wasn’t to run away and start anew; it was to keep what they had and make it better.

When she finally allowed Chloe to withdraw from their kiss, she enjoyed the smile on the girl’s pretty face, similar to the first time they’d kissed. 

“Where’d that come from?” Chloe asked. She didn’t move away from Rachel, keeping her pressed against the truck.

“The heart,” Rachel teased gently. “But seriously, if you don’t want me going to see Jen… just say so.”

“I don’t want you to go today,” Chloe whispered as she flicked Rachel’s nose with her own. “I need you… Max needs you.”

“Then I’ll stay.” Rachel smiled as she confirmed her plans. She felt no disappointment in not being able to go and see her friend, yet so many months ago she would have done anything to get her own way.

Reluctantly, they released one another to grab the rest of the bags from the bed of the truck before returning to their apartment. Chloe locked the front door behind them while Rachel started getting ready for bed, noticing Max was once again fast asleep.

“Do you think she had another headache tonight?” Rachel asked as she took off her t-shirt.

“Probably… she’s had them every night since the photo jump,” Chloe answered while kicking off her boots beside the front door. “Not like she’s going to tell us though. She hates worrying us.”

“I wish we knew what was causing it,” Rachel commented, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared at the brunette girl. “It’s not exactly fair that she’s suffering every fucking day for saving Jen’s life.”

“At least she’s not having visions of a tornado wiping out San Francisco,” Chloe said, throwing her jacket over their bags as she walked over.

“Oh… that would be fucked up,” Rachel muttered, thinking back to the chaos that event had played on the Max she had been with. “Think the supernatural shit will ever be over?”

“As long as we have a time traveller? No fucking way.” Chloe laughed as she put her arms around Rachel’s bare waist.

“Come on… let’s get some sleep.” Rachel sighed as she pressed her lips to Chloe’s once more. 

“That will never grow old,” Chloe breathed as Rachel pulled away.

* * *

 

The following days passed slowly for Max; sometimes she felt like her powers had become stuck in perpetual slow motion. She stayed in bed for the majority of the days, trying to sleep away the feeling of emptiness she had after leaving Seattle. After everything she had been through she had always believed her parents would be there for her, but her argument with her dad had been the worst ever. She rolled over once more and forced her eyes shut, trying not to remember the different fights that had all rolled into one terrible day.

Rachel and Chloe had taken turns to look after her; she would always wake up with one of them lying beside her reading a book or watching something on the TV. They never left her side and would always drop whatever they were doing to comfort her with a hug or a kiss on the forehead when she needed it. At times she found herself cuddled up to Rachel to watch something with her, comforted by the touch of the person she had rebelled against her father for. 

One evening she was woken up by the sound of Rachel yelling and cheering as loudly as possible, followed closely by Chloe. She looked down the bed at Rachel, who was bouncing up and down on the spot as Chloe sat at the dining table in front of the laptop.

“What happened?” she asked, refusing to move from under the warm buvet.

“I got an audition for a job! I actually fucking got one!” Rachel cheered, diving onto the bed and giving Max a big hug. “It’s a motion capture thing for a studio, but… Max, it’s actually a paying fucking job!”

“You’re joking?” Max asked, at first a little confused at why she didn’t feel happier for her.

“No… they actually want me to go!” Rachel grinned, pressing her forehead to Max’s as she kneeled over her. “It’s a start… right?”

“Fuck yes…” Max smiled, looking up into Rachel’s hazel eyes that were filled with happiness.

“We need to celebrate!” Chloe said, lying down beside Max. “This is a big thing!”

“When would you start?” Max asked as she felt Chloe take hold of her hand.

“New year… apparently I’m the right build, but they want to see my acting skills before they offer me the job. Which is fair, it’s not like we’ve been able to do any audition tapes.” Rachel was smiling from ear to ear, but Max couldn’t work out if she was happy or sad.

They’d spent so much time together for so long, not being with her all the time was going to be strange. Rachel had also been Max’s model and muse over the past few months; if she was busy, it meant she’d no longer be able to get as many pictures of her.

“You’re happy for me… right?” Rachel frowned, a look of concern replacing the happiness.

“Of course!” Max answered quickly, placing a hand to Rachel’s cheek. “I’m… just thinking how much I’m going to miss our photo shoots together.”

“Those are not ending!” Rachel laughed gently. “I love them far too much to give them up.”

“It just means more time for you and me,” Chloe whispered in Max’s ear, making her smile.

“I bet you’re looking forward to that,” Max retorted, trying to be the happy person they obviously wanted her to be.

“More time with you? Fuck yeah!” Chloe smirked as she played with Max’s hair, a small touch that Max appreciated with the way she was still feeling.

“You better not miss me out after I get home!” Rachel quickly interjected, a smile on her pretty face. “I’m going to want time with both of you!”

“Which you’ll get… we’ll shower you with affection!” Chloe laughed as Rachel slipped off Max to lie on the other side of her.

“Well… that’s then, what about now? Are we going to go out?” Rachel asked, looking across Max at Chloe.

“Bit early for a celebration, don’t you think?” Max answered first, not because she wasn’t happy for something to celebrate, but because she didn’t want to get their hopes up.

“We’ll keep it lowkey… order in pizza instead of cooking tonight.” Chloe shrugged before kissing Max firmly on the forehead.

With the decision made, Chloe rolled off the bed and snatched up her phone off the bedside table. She knew the number to call, especially as she was the one who always wanted a pizza. Rachel remained beside Max, taking hold of her left hand and tracing the tattoo with her index finger.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking…” Rachel whispered so Chloe wouldn’t hear them.

“Hm?” Max responded, tilting her head a little closer so their foreheads touched.

“If you’d rather sort things out with your dad… if you’d prefer to have your family than me… I understand. I won’t blame you for ending things with me.” 

It was like a nail had been driven through her heart, to hear Rachel willing to give up the relationship they had. Max didn’t know whether it was a self-sacrifice or if Rachel just didn’t want the drama their relationship was now bringing, but it hurt.

“No… please… I don’t want to give you up, I don’t want to lose this,” she quickly replied, a little louder than she’d intended. 

Chloe was fortunately busy with the call and didn’t look around as she paced in the kitchen area.

“It’s hurting you, Max… and I don’t want to be the cause of your pain.” Rachel was looking away from Max, unable to look her in the eyes.

“Rach…” Max said, gently tilting Rachel’s head so they could look at one another properly. “I’m not hurt because of you. What we have… it means everything to me. You and Chloe are all I have.”

“Alright…” Rachel smiled softly, and Max gave her a sweet kiss on the lips to try to reinforce what she’d said.

“I never thought I’d see the day you’d try to give something up that you wanted…” Max whispered in her ear.

“I wasn’t giving you up, Max… I just want the best for you,” Rachel responded quietly.

Their lovely punk girlfriend returned to the bed before Max could respond, but she felt what needed saying had been said. The blonde girl remained at Max’s side as they waited for their pizza to arrive, while Chloe turned off the laptop and picked out a DVD for them to watch. It felt as though nothing had changed, and Max was grateful to them both for the consistent love they showed her, even when she had been wallowing in her own self-pity for days.

* * *

 

On the thirty-first of December, Max was no longer allowed to stay in bed. Despite all of her protests and offers to allow Chloe and Rachel to go to Jen’s without her, they had insisted on her finally getting out of bed to celebrate the new year and see some friends. They didn’t have to be at Jen’s until the evening, giving her some time to brighten to the idea of seeing Jen once more. Rachel had been in touch with the teasing beauty, but only in texts and snatched phone conversations.

Max was the last one to get a shower that afternoon and took her time to enjoy the constant sensation of the water on her skin. She eventually left the bathroom to find Chloe already dressed, while Rachel was still in her underwear fixing her hair. 

“Just put it in a ponytail, it’ll take less time,” Chloe said, sat on the bed against the headboard with her feet up. She’d remembered to take her boots off this time, after a number of reminders from both Rachel and Max.

“I wanted to have it straight…” Rachel retorted when she saw Max leaving the bathroom. “At last.” She grinned before rushing past Max into the vacant room.

“Hair trouble?” Max asked, careful to keep her towel pressed against her small chest.

“Yep… what are you gonna do with yours? Straighten it too?” Chloe had a smirk on her face; they all knew Max needed a haircut, but she just hadn’t got around to allowing either of them near her with scissors.

“Ponytail?” Max shrugged as she sat on the end of the bed.

“Even Max says ponytail!” Chloe shouted at Rachel.

“No, she didn’t!” Rachel yelled back. Her head appeared through the doorway, a grin on her pretty face. “So don’t lie to me, Price… or you’ll be banned from the bedroom tonight.”

“You’ve been told.” Max chuckled to herself at the threat Chloe had been issued.

“She’ll come around to my way of thinking soon… you’ll see,” Chloe retorted with a smug expression on her face.

A couple of hours later, they left the apartment to walk to Jen’s. Both Rachel and Max had their hair in ponytails, while Chloe had a satisfied smile on her face. She didn’t let it go the entire way to Jen’s house, teasing Rachel every step of the way. Finally arriving at Jen’s, Max was expecting a booming party with loads of people that knew Kelly, Jen, or Brooke. She was surprised when the door was opened and she could only see the three friends they got along with so well.

“You three took your sweet time,” Jen said with a laugh.

“Rachel couldn’t decide how to style her hair,” Chloe quickly responded.

“For fuck’s sakes…” Rachel murmured as Jen stepped back to allow them all inside.

As they kicked off their shoes, Max noticed Kelly and Brooke moving back and forth from the kitchen with snacks and alcohol.

“Are we early?” she asked as Rachel pulled Chloe away to help the other two girls.

“We wanted you here a little earlier,” Jen answered, putting an arm around Max and guiding her over to the couch. “How you doing?”

“They told you then?” she whispered, sitting into the corner of the couch.

“Rach was worried, and I can understand it.” Jen sat opposite her and gave a small shrug of her shoulders before continuing. “I know it’s not fair when our parents question our choices, been there, done that… and my friends helped me through it.”

“More than once,” Kelly said as she handed Jen a bottle of beer. “Couldn’t help but overhear, sorry babe.” She smiled gently as she offered another bottle to Max, who gratefully took it.

“See? You’re not alone… anything we can do, just ask. Come chill with me, play some video games! Anything to help.” Jen smiled warmly at her, making Max feel a little better to know there were others who cared about her.

“Are more people coming?” Rachel asked as she sat down between Jen and Max, leaning more towards Max then the dark-haired girl.

“Soon! So be prepared to meet some crazy people,” Kelly answered as she returned to her task.

“Where are we staying tonight?” Chloe asked as she settled into Jen’s normal chair.

“My room. I’ll sleep on the floor. Everybody else has been told to crash down here wherever they find space,” Jen said with a small grin. “You’re our honoured guests! We have to look after you.”

As the night progressed, more people started to show up. Max, Chloe, and Rachel were introduced to people they’d never met before, or meeting people they’d met at another of the parties they had attended. 

Max was surprised Jen would be hosting a party; normally they went out somewhere else that had more space. The music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and people were laughing. At first, Max thought the neighbours might complain, but when she stepped outside the front door for some fresh air, she could see they were hosting their own parties too. 

She paced the street as she went over the last week in her mind, wondering if there was something she could have done differently to change the outcome. It had been on her mind as she slept since her powers gave her the ability to change such events if she wished.

“Thinking again?” Chloe suddenly said, making Max turn on the spot to see the punk girl standing behind her, a bottle in her hand with the other hand on her hip.

“Always thinking…” Max answered with a small shrug.

“Did you think this much about Arcadia?” Chloe asked as Max put an arm around the taller girl’s waist.

“Yeah… but not if I wanted to change it. You were worth the sacrifice, Chloe… I told you I’ll never change my mind,” Max whispered gently as she felt Chloe’s arm around her back.

“I’ll always remember what you did for me, Max. You have no idea… how it feels to know somebody loves you that much,” Chloe said gently as the two stood on the sidewalk. “But you can’t always change things… you have to move forward too and not second guess every little decision. It’ll drive you insane.”

Max allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips and nodded her understanding, aware of just how much thinking she had been doing lately. “I… can accept the choice I’ve made. I love Rach, I love you… and I want the three of us to be together.”

“Even if it means your dad doesn’t agree?” Chloe asked quietly.

“Yeah… because I can’t ask you to give up Rach, too, or for Rach to give us up. That’s not fair to any of us.” Max looked towards the house and could see their blonde-haired girlfriend looking down the street at them. Max gave a small wave and Rachel quickly took the hint to come over.

“You okay?” Rachel asked as she got closer.

“Needed some fresh air… gather my thoughts…” she answered, taking hold of Rachel’s hand when she was close enough.

“Well, come back inside… it’s almost midnight, and Jen wants us close,” Rachel said with a small smirk on her face.

“Why do I get the feeling Jen wants to be kissed?” Chloe asked as the three of them started walking back towards the house.

“I have an idea…” Max smirked as she held Chloe’s hand as well, stuck between the two girls she cared for.

“Am I going to like it?” Rachel grinned.

“So… here’s what we’re going to do…” Max answered as she pulled them to a stop outside the front door.

Back inside the house, they sat down on the couch after it had been vacated. Jen was close by, finding a channel on the TV for the countdown to the new year. People were laughing at bad jokes or dancing to the music. Nearby, Max could see Kelly and Brooke sat with one another with their hands laced together. 

“Oh! Almost fucking time! New year, new shit!” Jen shouted, turning down the music. “Decided who you’re kissing, Max?” she asked as she leaned against the arm of the couch.

“Oh, yeah… we’re all set,” Max answered with a sly grin.

The countdown began. A new year with a new set of trials was about to begin. It would be the end to one of the worst years of Max’s life. It wasn’t all bad though; she had two girlfriends when the year before, she had been a loner who had never been kissed.

“Five!” everybody shouted.

Max looked at Chloe and noticed the blue haired girl was looking at her.

“Four,” they all said together.

Chloe gave her a beautiful smile that reached her blue eyes. For five years she had missed that smile. Then for another six months, she had missed it even more.

“Three!”

She felt Rachel’s hand on her own and quickly looked the other way at the blonde girl, who was also watching her. For a moment, she thought they were looking at each other and she was just in the way.

“Two!”

She stopped thinking, for just a moment. There was nothing to fear; they both loved her and she loved them.

“One! Happy New Year!” everybody shouted, happily.

Rachel pulled Jen sideways onto the three of them, and they all lunged to give Jen kisses on the cheek and face. The dark-haired girl laughed and squirmed as they showered her with affection, taken completely by surprise.

“Assholes!” Jen laughed, trying to break away from them.

After Jen finally managed to break away from their assault, Max watched her walk over to her two roommates, sitting down with them and sharing big hugs and small kisses. Max turned to Rachel first and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

“Happy New Year…” she said, flicking Rachel’s nose with her own.

“Happy New Year, my wonderful saviour,” Rachel responded with a warm smile.

Next, Max turned to Chloe and kissed her just as sweetly. Chloe made it last a little bit longer, but Max would never complain.

“Happy New Year, hippie,” Chloe sniggered.

“Punk Princess now…” Max retorted with a grin. “Happy New Year, babe.”

Like a kick in the head, she felt the pain of a headache take hold and immediately knew she needed to get rid of it to enjoy the rest of the night.

“Back in a moment,” she said, climbing off the couch and heading for the stairs.

She looked back at Rachel and Chloe before her ascent and watched them share their own kiss. There wasn’t the old tug of jealousy, but one of happiness. That the three of them could be so happy together was something she had never expected in her life.

Her headache throbbed again, reminding her of the pain that would only increase over time. She climbed the stairs and rushed to the bathroom, grateful to find it empty. Locking the door behind her, she leaned over the sink more to balance herself as she tapped into the supernatural abilities she possessed. 

Taking a deep breath, she activated the freeze time and felt the pain behind her eyes start to recede, like letting off steam. She glanced into the mirror above the sink, expecting to see the blue butterfly on her shoulder or in the room somewhere, and almost fell over with fright when she saw a girl sat on the edge of the bath behind her. 

For a moment, she thought she’d intruded on somebody else and was lucky to have frozen time. Then she noticed the subtle movements of the girls hand as she drew something on an art pad.

The girl looked up and a sad smile crossed her lips. “Hi Max… I’m Liz. I think it’s time we talked.”


	38. Aion

Liz was exactly as Max recalled from the picture she’d seen so long ago. The auburn hair with the blonde highlights throughout, the sparkling green eyes, but there was no happiness behind them. She looked tired and frail, her hair was unkempt, and she had bags under her eyes.

Max turned around, expecting the girl to disappear from view, but she remained. Beside Liz was a beautiful blue butterfly resting on the edge of the bath, casually moving its wings. The art pad slipped forward to reveal a hand drawn sketch of the butterfly. 

“How is this possible?” Max asked quietly, looking around for confirmation that she was still frozen. She couldn’t feel the pull of energy like normal.

“That… is a long story,” Liz said with a small laugh as the placed the art pad beside her along with her pencil. “But we have... time.”

Tentatively, Max sat beside Liz with the butterfly between them. She could only assume her powers to see the past were active, though she had no intention of activating that part of her gift. Liz looked as real as the bath they sat on.

“Aion is its name,” Liz started to say, indicating the butterfly beside them. “And they are the source of our gift…”

“Our gift?” Max asked, the first question to slip out.

“Yes, Max… ours.” Liz smiled kindly. “Aion has only just appeared to me. They were trying to help me see how my life will improve, how it will get better. So… I was given the gift of farsight, they said. I can see the future, Max.”

“So… you can see me sitting on your bath in the future, while… I’m viewing you in the past?” Max frowned, trying to understand how this moment was possible.

“Exactly. The weirdest conversation in the world.” Liz laughed quietly as she ran her hand through her hair. “Had I known I’d be meeting somebody so impressive… I’d have cleaned myself up a bit.”

“But if you were gifted… why didn’t you handle Jefferson for what he did to you? Why did you hurt Jen by leaving her?” Max asked, unaware of how cruel the questions could be.

“Because I am not strong like you, Max. If I try, I will only make it worse. Your Chloe will die, Rachel will be abducted, and I have no proof to accuse Jefferson. I can’t bring him down. But you can… you did!”

“Only because of… Aion,” Max said, trying to get used to the idea that a butterfly had definitely given her a gift. “Now that I know… I could come back and save you. I could make sure you and Jen get a future together.”

“You’ve already broken the rules once, but you weren’t to know.” Liz sighed, looking away from Max for a moment.

“What rules?”

“When Aion gave me my gifts, I understood the rules. We had a moment to… communicate. But your moment was interrupted. Aion gave you the gifts and you were forced to act, to save Chloe,” Liz explained quietly. “I saw it all… I… we… Aion and I chose you as the next Guardian, because we realised you could do what I can’t. Justice could be served through you.”

“But… why not just use those gifts and…”

“Max… you beautiful tenacious girl… I am not a fighter.” Liz smiled softly as she spoke, turning a little more to face Max. “Only some rules will apply, depending on how you receive your gifts. Your… ability to time travel? That’s the most dangerous, with the most important rule. Do not change Aion’s timeline.”

“Aion’s timeline?” Max asked, frowning at what she meant if Aion was supernatural.

“You suffered the effects once, the tornado? That was because of two Aions existing in the same moment of time. But… you didn’t change Aion’s fate. If you were to save me…”

“Aion wouldn’t gift me with those powers…” Max nodded, understanding the implications immediately thanks to her time spent looking through time travel theory with Rachel. “I’d never be able to save you…”

“A true paradox, according to Aion.” Liz nodded with a small smile, clearly impressed Max had caught on so quickly. “It’s a funny thing… these time bubbles. They permit us so much… time to think and talk.” She smirked sadly. “Seeing you… my fate is sealed. I want Jen to have the best possible chance when I’m gone and I saw what you will do. She was the absolute light of my life, Max… like Chloe and Rachel will be for you.”

“You can see… everything I do? Even though I change time? Change the course?” Max asked, needing to know the answer.

“It’s like… I see through Aion what the timeline will be. Not the timeline of the world. But it takes so much out of me, trying to understand what I see. At first… I wanted to bring down Jefferson, to destroy him… only… nobody would believe me, and unlike you… I can’t rewind for answers. I can only move forward. So then I tried to think about the future with Jen… and I would spend more time second guessing myself and never really live.” Max watched the sadness in Liz’s eyes as she spoke, the grief so evident in her pretty face.

“You knew it was Jefferson… because of your gift?” Max said timidly, trying not to upset the girl further.

“Yeah… that mother fucker… but if things continue down their current course, he’ll get what’s coming to him.” Liz smirked. “I’m sorry for the pain Aion’s been causing you by the way. We needed a way to bring you here, to this moment.”

“That’s why I’ve been suffering headaches ever since saving Jen?”

“Aion doesn’t see the timeline like you or I. Months, days… years, they mean nothing to it. They define the timeline by… events, important events. Like saving Jen, or Chloe being shot,” Liz explained, a gentle note in her voice. “But… I wanted to talk to you before the end.”

“Why?” Max asked curiously as the butterfly took flight to flutter around their heads.

“Jen… means the world to me, Max. She’s part of why I’m making my decision… but I wanted to know she’s going to be happy, that she’s going to have a family who loves her. I wanted to meet the person who would change her life.”

“Then you should have been trying to meet Rachel… she’s the one who met Jen, who…” The words caught in Max’s throat’ she hadn’t realised how jealous she still was of the time Jen and Rachel had spent together.

“Who introduced her to you… who would save her life, no matter the cost to your own,” Liz continued, a warm smile on her face. “This was the hardest decision I made… to try to meet you and tell you… how grateful I am.”

“But you could decide to live… and stop all of this pain from happening. To change the timeline entirely.” Max knew her argument wouldn’t work; if she wanted to save Liz she would have to use her powers to be there in person.

“I’m not going to argue with you about my choice. I know how persuasive you can be in these situations.” Liz smirked as she stared at Max.

“Should I tell Jen… about all this time travel stuff? Won’t she blame you for not fighting on? Blame me for hiding the truth from her?” Max asked, recalling the conversation she’d had with Chloe and Rachel in LA.

“When you tell her, and she asks for proof. Tell her…” Liz let out a quick huff of breath and wiped her eyes quickly. “Tell her I will find her in another life, that we will have a thousand lives together, and all of them will be filled with love.”

“She’ll know it came from you?” Max asked, knowing their conversation was coming to an end.

“She’ll know… because we used to tease each other in bed with that. Nobody else would know it.”

“Can I ask something else… before I go?” Max said gently.

“You have all the time in this moment to ask me whatever you want… but it has to be now.” Liz nodded, picking up the art pad and pencil as Aion settled down next to them.

“My dad… will he ever… come around? Or have I lost him?”

“He’ll come around… just don’t force it. Focus on enjoying your life and following your own path. He’ll be there in the end.” Liz smiled as she continued her drawing. “One of the few advantages… I can give you some peace of mind, right?”

“I appreciate that… it’s… strange being able to talk to somebody like me.”

“Gifted and beautiful?” Liz joked, making Max smile a little more.

“Who understands this… time travel stuff…”

“Even I don’t fully understand it… it’s like… flashes of information,” Liz said with a small frown. “But Aion will be with you for your whole life, Max. These powers won’t go away; they may even evolve again… but Aion will always be with you. Freeze time, they’ll be there… ask, and you may be surprised.”

“I don’t think… I’ll ever understand this choice.” Max frowned as she watched Liz.

“You… didn’t suffer the same as I did. Max… I woke up feeling dirty, like I’d been… and for me? That was the worst feeling in the world. It hit my confidence, it made me lash out at Jen because she should have been there. I’ve not been the best girlfriend, and she can’t handle my shit.”

“Then change… Liz… I can’t go forward knowing my happiness is built on your death!” Max argued firmly.

“Oh, Max…” Liz sighed softly, putting the pad and pencil back down and turning towards her. “Your happiness is built on your own choices, all of them. It’s because two people have chosen to share their hearts with you. Do not start attributing that to the actions of a girl you hadn’t even heard of until after you’d already fallen in love.”

“But… the butterfly effect… if you hadn’t…” Max started to retort.

“...if I am the butterfly that flapped my wings, then you are the tornado who gave me justice... and saved the person I love the most from an end she didn’t deserve,” Liz said, reaching out to take Max’s hands.

It was like a jolt of electricity as they managed to touch one another across time and space, and at first Max started to panic that they’d broke the rules Liz had described. For a moment, Liz felt real and there, and they wrapped each other in a warm embrace as tears started to flow from Max’s eyes.

“You can’t leave her like this…” Max whispered sadly.

“I can’t go on either. These visions will drive me insane… and for you, Max this is the past. This has happened, and it will always end the same way,” Liz retorted firmly. “Just look after my girlfriend, got it?”

“Always. I promise.” 

Max could feel the power starting to fade away and noticed the colour in the butterflies wings start to fade. She gripped Liz a little tighter but the girl’s grip started to slacken. Then she was gone and Max fell forward slightly as her power ended. 

She tried to reactivate her gift and in an instant the blue butterfly was sat on the bathtub beside her once more, but Liz was gone; she was no longer using her gift to view the future. Releasing her power once more she slipped off the bath onto the floor and pulled her knees up into her chest, trying to hold back the tears as she tried to accept the death of somebody she hadn’t even known, but had clearly had a profound impact on her life.

When she finally pulled herself together, she’d also formulated a plan. She left the bathroom behind and went into Jen’s room, where she, Rachel, and Chloe would be sleeping that night. Making sure the room was empty, she checked the time on her phone before placing it in the centre of the bed. Then she went back downstairs.

Rachel and Chloe were dancing with Kelly and Brooke, finally cutting loose after the week they’d all had. She smiled at how happy her two girlfriends appeared, but chose not to interrupt their time together. Instead, she leaned over the arm of the couch and tapped Jen on the shoulder.

“Wassup?” Jen asked, leaning towards Max so they could speak over the music.

“Can we talk? Upstairs?” Max said, hoping the girl wouldn’t get the wrong impression.

“Sure…” Jen nodded with a frown.

Before going upstairs, Max grabbed another couple of beers from the kitchen before following Jen upstairs. They were going to need the alcohol for what was about to be said. Max entered Jen’s room once more, but the girl was already sat on the bed and fiddling with Max’s phone. She closed the door behind her before sitting with Jen, passing her the bottle of beer.

“You didn’t ask me up here to proposition me, did you?” Jen winked playfully.

“Only in your dreams,” Max replied with a smile as she leaned against the pillows.

“Well… I dream about that a lot, so let’s just make it reality…” Jen teased again, but Max knew she was only joking.

“I have to tell you something… and it’s really important. I want you to know the full truth.” Max looked into Jen’s eyes and saw a hint of fear.

“Alright mystery Max, shoot…”

She decided to start at the beginning. Her beginning, the week in October when Aion had given her the power to save Chloe’s life. At first Jen laughed, thinking Max was playing some kind of trick, but she kept up with the details she could remember. Max replayed the entire week to the dark-haired girl first.

“Wait... you were here in San Francisco for the start of that week, with Rachel… how?” Jen interrupted, a confused look on her face.

“I’m getting there… but you need to know how it began for me, so it all makes sense.” Max shrugged, hoping her answer would keep some of Jen’s questions at bay.

When Max recalled her own experience in the Dark Room, Jen was frowning.

“Please… don’t make fun of me… that time with Liz, all the shit she used to say…” Jen started to argue; the jovial tone had now left her voice and Max was wondering if she’d need to rewind this attempt away and try another day.

“I’d never make fun of you, Jen. I’ve… got something else to tell you…” she said, trying not to get ahead of herself.

Gradually the story was told, even with Jen’s interruptions and questions. Max answered them all; every single time they stopped, she would explain as best as she could, but the closer they came to the end of the tale, the worse Max started to feel. Mentioning Liz could upset Jen worse than she knew, and she was afraid of losing her best friend now more than ever.

“So… you saved my life, by taking me to LA? Because my parents called and put me in the worst fucking mood that… I went and did drugs and died?” Jen asked, resting the empty beer bottle against her legs.

“Yeah, and Rachel demanded I save you. She couldn’t let you go, and neither could I. You’re our best friend. You helped us reach this point in our relationship. I had to save you.” Max nodded, the fear steadily growing in her stomach.

_ I can’t lose you… none of us can, you’re our best friend! _ She thought as she watched Jen, the look of confusion evident on the girl’s face.

“Continue…” Jen insisted.

When Max reached the end of the story, she hesitated to mention Liz. Instead, she decided to quote her first.

“I used my powers… in the bathroom. A little while ago to help with those headaches since saving you…”

“Uh-huh…”

“They activated the… past seeing part as well.”

“You… you saw Liz, didn’t you?” Jen said, already guessing what Max was about to say.

“We talked…”

“How is that possible? Did you go back there? How? Why? Was she okay? When did you see?” Jen was bombarding her with questions so quickly, Max felt like it was a mistake.

“Jen… it was the day she drew a butterfly picture…” Max said.

Jen shot up off the bed and took out her collection of Liz’s things, finally taking out a piece of paper and holding it out to Max. The butterfly on the bathtub.

“This? Is this what she was drawing?” Jen demanded, the friendly nature lost to the determination for answers.

“Yes.”

“Fuck… that was… that… the day…” Jen took a deep breath and sat back down on the bed with the picture in her hands. “That was the day she died…”

“The butterfly… is called Aion,” Max said, trying to recall all of the details of their conversation. “And Liz said… to prove I spoke to her, that I’m not just lying to you… she said she would find you in another life, that you will have a thousand lives together, and they’ll all be full of love.”

It was like something broke in the beautiful girl in front of her. The tears welled up and Jen covered her open mouth as the weight of the truth crashed down upon her. Max wasn’t joking, and Jen now knew it.

“We never told anybody that. It was private… secret…” Jen said, the tears streaming down her face. “Why didn’t you save her? Why did you save me and not her? Why Chloe or Rachel but not her?!” Jen started to shout.

“I tried persuading her! I tried to tell her to go on! I didn’t want to leave her, but she closed that connection. Jen… I am so fucking sorry! I didn’t want you to lose Liz all over again, I even asked her if I should tell you and…”

“She told you what to say…” Jen nodded sadly, wiping the tears from her eyes. “She told you to just look after me…”

“I made a promise. You’re my best friend, and if I could save her I would! You have no idea how hard it was to know… to know for my… for us…”

Max was taken by surprise as Jen wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. She thought the truth would have created some kind of wall between them. She hadn’t even proved her powers through using them, but Jen appeared to accept it.

“I always knew there was something weird about you. Dodging my fucking questions, not giving me full answers…” Jen whispered as they held onto each other tightly.

“I never wanted to lie to you… I’ve been wondering how to tell you for months!” Max replied, trying to tighten her grip further to show how much Jen meant to her.

“I… fucking hate you for not being able to save her, but I know Liz. She never did anything without a reason. She… always did the right thing, even when I didn’t,” Jen said with a sob in her voice. “I miss her so much, Max.”

“I only got to spend a few minutes with her… but I could tell how much she loves you. I wish I could save her… but time destroying paradoxes are outside of my skills.”

Jen let out a small laugh but nodded her head. “Yeah… but now you have no excuse for being late.”

With Jen now looped into her secret, the two of them remained in the bedroom to talk. The party downstairs was completely forgotten as Jen bombarded her with questions. In turn, Max noticed how Jen was more willing to talk about Liz. Any question Max had about her, Jen seemed far happier to answer now that Max had actually met the girl, to even be included in their most intimate secret. 

They were unaware as the time slipped by around them as Max connected with Jen in a way she didn’t think Rachel had. Listening to Jen’s enthusiastic recollections of her time with Liz, sometimes interspersed with tears as she remembered something wonderful. 

The door to the bedroom started to open and Chloe’s blue hair appeared around the edge of the door first.

“Found them!” she called out over he shoulder. “We’ve been looking for you two…”

“You didn’t have to look very far,” Jen retorted with a smile. “It’s not like we’re down by the beach.”

“It’s four in the morning… how come you didn’t come back down?” Chloe asked, sitting on the bed beside Max and putting an arm around her.

“I told Jen about this,” Max said, showing Chloe her hand. “And all about time travel.”

“Oh, shit… should I be worried?” Chloe asked, glancing at Jen who laughed.

“Fuck no, it’s pretty damn cool.” Jen laughed as Chloe obviously relaxed.

“We… may have drunk a little too much,” Chloe whispered to Max as her fingers dancing up Max’s side.

“I can tell… you’re trying to feel me up,” Max retorted with a grin.

“None of that in my bed. I’m the only one who gets laid in here, thank you!” Jen quickly said with a chuckle.

“There’s my Max!” Rachel said as she entered the bedroom, quickly moving across the room and diving onto Max, forcing her to lie down on the bed along with Chloe. “We’ve missed you all night!”

“Oh, she’s drunk,” Jen groaned from somewhere beyond the mess of blonde hair Max could see.

“I am not! I am… comfortably tipsy,” Rachel retorted as she rolled off Max and almost fell off the bed. “Maybe a little…” she said with a small giggle.

“Where’s Kelly and Brooke?” Jen asked as Max tried to sit back up, but was kept down by Chloe and Rachel.

“Making noises in their bedroom…” Chloe chuckled as she leaned into Max and kissed her neck.

“Oh… great. Did everybody else go home?”

“Mhm… there’s a couple of people downstairs, but they’re getting ready to go to bed so… we need to be quiet…” Chloe said, shushing herself with her finger before sniggering a little more.

“You two are really drunk,” Max said as Rachel cuddled into her.

“And really, really… horny,” Rachel retorted as she kissed Max’s cheek. “Like… I could rip your clothes off right now, horny.”

Max glanced at Jen who looked like she was trying really hard to contain her laughter at the tangle of bodies in front of her. It was strange having two girls pawing at her who were both so drunk, especially when she was fairly sober. 

“Should… we try to get you two home? Sober you up on the walk?” Max offered, trying to think about how Jen might feel.

“Jen won’t mind if we… have a fumble, fuck she might just join in…” Rachel whispered into Max’s ears, but not quietly enough. Jen was already laughing her ass off at the state of Max’s girlfriends.

“Jen is really fucking hot… but I can’t share you two, I mean… I’m sharing you enough as it is!” Chloe added as her fingers moved Max’s top up to expose her midriff.

“Then maybe we should go home… so we can start this year off right!” Rachel winked as she looked at Max.

“Jen… you wouldn’t mind if we went home?” Chloe said as she sat up slightly.

“Knock yourselves out! Just… send me a text so I know you’re all safe.” Jen smirked as she looked at Max, who could only feel like the girl was enjoying the torment she was facing trying to get both of her girlfriends home.

“Come on, Max… that’s permission!” Rachel said, climbing off the bed before Max had a chance to argue.

Rachel quickly left the bedroom, followed closely by Chloe who had planted one last kiss on Max’s cheek. It left Max and Jen alone for a moment longer, during which time Jen gave her another big hug.

“Go spend time with your drunk girls…” Jen teased gently as they released one another.

“Yeah… thanks for not backing me up with that,” Max retorted with a smile.

“Who am I to get in the way of Rachel and Chloe when they wanna rip your clothes off? They have the right idea.”

“Don’t you start too!” Max said, trying not to think how Jen kept teasing them.

“I never stopped.” Jen chuckled as Max climbed off the bed to leave.

She stopped in the doorway and turned back to the dark-haired girl, who was already taking off her top to go to bed. “Love ya, Jen,” Max said with a smile.

“Love ya too, Time Queen,” Jen replied with a wink. “Text me, as soon as you’re home!”

“I will.”

The walk home was chaotic as Rachel and Chloe were so full of energy despite their inebriation. There was very little traffic on the roads and Chloe had no problem walking in the street with Rachel, laughing and pointing out the dumbest things.

When they finally got home, Rachel quickly rushed into the bathroom as Chloe kicked off her boots and removed her jacket. Max had done the same and was halfway across the room when she felt Chloe take hold of her hand, spinning her around to face the blue-haired punk.

“Hi…” Chloe whispered as she put her arms around Max.

“Hi, are you still drunk?” Max teased gently.

“A little. I had a great night last night…”

“I’m glad. I had an interesting one.” Max grinned; she’d been waiting to tell them about her conversation with Liz.

“Do tell… or do I want to know? Did Jen make a move on you?” Chloe said, the concern edging into her voice.

“No! Jen’s never made a move on me. I told Jen about my powers, remember?” she answered quickly, wondering if Chloe was more drunk than she thought.

“Oh, fuck…” Chloe muttered. “Did she believe you? Is everything okay? Is she mad?”

“You dork! I’ve already answered this. She’s fine, she believed me and… we had a really long conversation.” Max gently stroked a strand of blue hair from Chloe’s eyes, admiring the way the light made them shine.

The knowledge of Liz’s sacrifice wasn’t making her feel worse for what she had like she’d originally thought, but it had made her appreciate the girl she had in front of her a hell of a lot more. 

“You okay?” Chloe asked as Max quickly wiped away a tear.

“Admiring your beauty, Chloe Price,” Max admitted with a smile. “I love you, so fucking much!”

“I love you too, Max! My awesome hero!” Chloe replied energetically before she kissed Max firmly on the lips.

“Don’t start without me!” Rachel suddenly said as she pushed Chloe playfully. “I want some of the hero too, she did save my life last year.”

“So… I have all the power right now?” Max teased gently, feeling a little more engaged with the attention the two girls were showing her.

“Don’t let those skills go to your head!” Rachel laughed as she pushed Max towards their bed. “You may be a Time God… but you’re putty in our hands,” she teased as Chloe helped to pin Max to the bed.

“That’s only because I allow myself to be…” Max retorted as Rachel’s lips pressed against her own. 

She knew they were still slightly drunk, that it could be considered taking advantage of them, but she wanted the intimacy with her girlfriends. Time with them was going to become a precious commodity once they were working and she could never refuse a chance to make another precious memory.


	39. Victory

It was the first day of the new year, and they’d already spent most of it asleep in each other’s arms. Chloe was the first to wake up with her arm trapped under Max’s head. She looked across and noticed Rachel’s head lay upon Max’s stomach. It wasn’t the first time she’d woken up in such a way, and she hoped it would never be the last.

When all three of them were finally awake, Max told them about her encounter with Liz. She had also told them Aion was the name of the butterfly and that they couldn’t save Liz’s life, despite all of their wishes to give Jen the love of her life back. It was a morbid conversation, to know Liz had been minutes from giving up her life while speaking to Max, the last person to have spoken to her while she was alive. 

When their depressing conversation was over, they spent the rest of the day in bed together, snuggled under the covers watching crap on TV as both Chloe and Rachel got over their hangovers. Max was the one to cook their dinner that night, giving the hungover girls more time to recover and snuggle into one another. Chloe brushed the blonde hair away from Rachel’s forehead and gave her a kiss on the temple, something she wished she had got to do in the two and a half years they’d been best friends. Rachel responded by turning a little more into her, flicking Chloe’s belly button piercing playfully as her hazel eyes looked up to Chloe.

“How’s your hangover?” Rachel asked quietly.

“Still there… painkillers aren’t touching it,” Chloe replied with a small shrug. “Not as bad as…”

“Oh, that night… don’t remind me.” Rachel nodded with a smile on her lips.

“Do you know how close I was to kissing you that night?” Chloe asked.

“Oh, really? I wish you had. It would have saved us so much fucking trouble.”

“What night was this?” Max said from the kitchen as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Did we tell you about Chloe’s eighteenth birthday?” Rachel responded, shifting her position to talk to Max without moving away from Chloe.

“Not yet… but now I really wanna know.”

“We stashed a shit tonne of alcohol for my birthday…” Chloe started to say.

“Like… in my dorm room, in her bedroom, in the hideout. As much as we could get,” Rachel added with a small giggle.

“We decided to get shit faced at Blackwell though; step-fucker was home, and we knew he’d be a dick,” Chloe continued as Rachel started laughing a little more. “So… I took as much as I could from my room, snuck into her room, and we drank the night away while listening to… what were we listening to?”

“I don’t fucking know! I was too busy keeping my hands off you,” Rachel said. “But then you were busy trying to tag up my fucking room!”

“Oh, yeah!” Chloe laughed.

“‘This room needs more personality…’” Rachel said in her best impression of Chloe’s voice. “Then she takes out that black fucking marker and I have to wrestle it out of her hands!”

“That was such a good night!” Chloe mused, looking over at Max who was smiling at them both.

“I should have kissed you… it would have made it better,” Rachel whispered gently.

“But then we wouldn’t have this so… gonna complain?” Chloe asked as she looked back down into Rachel’s eyes.

“Fuck no… Max was worth the wait, even if it was rough.” Rachel smirked as she fiddled with Chloe’s belly button piercing once more.

“I’ll agree… but five years was way too fucking long,” Chloe said with a smile, hoping Max would take it as the joke she intended.

“Well, you’ll never have to wait for me again. I’m not allowed to be late with time powers,” Max retorted with a smile.

“Too fucking right you’re not!” Rachel laughed happily.

A couple of days into the new year, Max finally received a response for her competition entry. She’d been so scared of opening the email that Chloe and Rachel had done it for her. As soon as Chloe saw the main text, she jumped out of her chair and tackled Max onto the bed, cheering loudly.

“You fucking won! Max, you won the fucking competition!” she shouted as Rachel joined them with a yell.

“What place?” Max asked between the yells of joy.

“Place? Max, you idiot, you came first! They really fucking loved your piece!” Rachel answered as she peppered Max’s cheek with kisses.

Chloe climbed off Max first and sat back down at the laptop to look through the information, listening to the giggling as Rachel tickled Max for being an idiot.

“Ten grand… travel included to the gallery… hotel and… oh fuck…” Chloe said as she listed off the rewards.

“What? What’s fuck?” Rachel asked as she allowed Max a moment to breathe.

“It’s in Seattle…” Chloe muttered, looking around at Max. “Chase Space.” 

“No fucking way? Victoria’s parent’s gallery?” Max shouted, pushing Rachel off to stand behind Chloe.

“Mhm. It’s being held at Chase Space… and you just won the grand fucking prize…” Chloe laughed as she imagined the look on Victoria’s face.

“Oh, she is going to be fucking jealous… Max Caulfield wins a grand prize that’s to be shown off in her parent’s gallery! That is… fucking hell, Max, you do things in style,” Rachel said. She climbed off the bed and wrapped her arms around Max’s waist.

“Well I had no idea! I wasn’t exactly myself at that point,” Max retorted. She couldn’t help but think about the other Max who had been in charge for those few days.

“Other-Max, still leaving beautiful surprises for our girl…” Chloe said with a grin as she looked up at the two girls. 

“Well, you were with me when I sent it. Did you not look at it?” Max asked. Rachel finally released her and went back to making their breakfast.

“Fuck no! I was just happy you were coming out of that shell.” Chloe stood up and gave Max a quick kiss on her forehead. “You won, Max… I fucking told you, you’re awesome!”

“We’ve both told you!” Rachel added as she put a grape in her mouth. “When’s the gallery opening anyway?”

“On the…” Chloe said, looking round at the laptop. “Seventeenth. We have a couple of weeks to make plans.”

“Good, because I have that audition next week and can’t miss it!” Rachel smiled as she turned back to the cooking.

Chloe released Max to look through the rest of the email. She heard Max giggle and looked round to see the girl wearing pancake batter on her nose. Max always gave as good as she got and soon returned the favour.

“Don’t waste good food,” Chloe said, grimacing when she realised she sounded like her mother. 

The two girls went quiet for a moment; Chloe started to feel something was weird. She was about to look around when she felt two hands grab the side of her face, leaving batter hand prints on her cheeks. Looking around, she saw both Rachel and Max had batter on their hands, laughing at Chloe as they returned to the kitchen area.

“Oh… it’s on!” Chloe said, climbing out of her chair. “You’re both gonna get it now…”

Taking some of the batter in her hand, she chased the two girls around their small apartment, trying to corner one of them long enough to get her revenge. She finally cornered Rachel by the bed and left a batter handprint on her cheek as the girl giggled and tried to fight her off. 

“Why didn’t you get Max?” Rachel laughed as tears ran down her face. “Why me?”

“Who says you’re not going to help me get Max? Come on, two on one…” Chloe sniggered as she turned on Max, who was laughing on the other side of the room.

“Oh… shit…” Max mumbled as she saw Chloe and Rachel approaching.

* * *

  
  


A week later, Chloe took Rachel to her audition at the studio. Max had decided to stay at the apartment and do some of the chores they had all been neglecting. Although it meant Chloe was alone while Rachel was inside, it had given them a chance to spend some time together on the way there.

She sat outside a small coffee shop with a glass of coke, waiting for a text to pick up Rachel. She used her phone to send messages to Max, who was quick on the responses.

**Chloe:**

_ Missing us? xo _

**Max:**

_ Of course. But chores need doing! Most of the plates are clean at least. Xo _

**Chloe:**

_ So… pizza tonight? x _

**Max:**

_ Depends. If Rachel gets the job, why not go out? x _

**Chloe:**

_ Oh look at you being all posh! x _

**Max:**

_ Celebrating my win and her job! Why not, right?! x _

**Chloe:**

_ Did you check your account for your winnings? x _

**Max:**

_ Yep. It’s there. Tempted to gamble it up, but I don’t think Aion would agree. x _

**Chloe:**

_ Lol. Worried about a butterfly… just got a text from Rach. See you soon. Love ya babe! x _

**Max:**

_ Love you too, call me if she’s got the job! X _

She closed the conversation with Max and opened the one with Rach, hoping her girlfriend had got the job.

**Rachel:**

_ Need a pickup please hunni. See you soon x _

Frowning at the text, Chloe drank the last of her drink and stood up. The lack of information was bugging her; she didn’t know if it was good news or bad news, and she wanted to know how to respond to the blonde when she got in the truck.

FInally pulling up outside the studio, she saw Rachel just as she left. There was no expression on her face as she climbed into Chloe’s truck.

“Well? How’d it go?” Chloe asked, trying not to sound too enthusiastic in case she hadn’t got the job.

“Well… you see…” Rachel said, sounding a bit flat. “I got the fucking job!” she squealed loudly, diving onto Chloe as soon as the words escaped her lips.

“Oh, fuck yes! That’s awesome! Congratu-fucking-lations!” she yelled as she hugged her girlfriend tightly. “Well done! See?! You’re making it!”

“I know! I couldn’t believe it when they offered me the job. I start in two weeks, as soon as the contract is signed. They also want me to do the voice acting work for the part!” Rachel started to explain as she sat back and allowed Chloe to drive.

“So… you’re like… one of the characters as well?” Chloe asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

“Yeah, so… it’s pretty good pay. It’ll also get my name out there if it’s a success. Just… oh man, I can’t believe I finally have a start!” Rachel sounded really excited by her small success.

“You’re gonna be fucking great! I’m so proud of you!” Chloe gushed as she stopped the vehicle at a traffic light.

“It’s going to be a lot of work though… I hope you’re not gonna mind driving me there?”

“Oh fuck no… Max and I can bring you to work then do our own thing, or whatever she needs to do for her photography. Rach, it’s gonna be awesome!” Chloe smiled at the blonde girl beside her, who was still absolutely beaming.

“Let me tell Max, okay? No spoiling my surprise, Price!” Rachel smirked just before Chloe looked back at the road.

“It’s all yours! I can’t wait to see the look on her face.”

* * *

 

 

As soon as the truck pulled up outside their apartment, Rachel was climbing out to go tell Max the news. She hadn’t even text Jen yet. She wanted to make sure nobody could spoil the surprise for her other girlfriend. 

When she opened the door into the apartment, she noticed how much effort Max had put into tidying their home. Clothes were no longer strewn across the floor, the pizza boxes were all gone, and the plates were all clean. She hadn’t realised just how messy they’d become until she saw the apartment clean and tidy.

Max was sat at the dining table on the laptop, but Rachel couldn’t see what she was up to on the machine.

“Wow… you’ve been really busy,” Rachel commented as she kicked off her sneakers.

“I said I’d tidy up today,” Max said with a shrug, turning to face her. “So… how’d it go?”

“Well…” Rachel said, trying to put on her act to sound downcast. She walked over to Max, who took her hands almost like she was ready to console her. “I got the job,” she whispered.

Max almost shot out of her chair. “Oh my God! That’s awesome, Rach!” she shouted, finally jumping up and giving Rachel a big hug.

“Mhm, two weeks and I start!” Rachel explained as she held her girlfriend. “I did it, Max! It’s a fucking start, and it’s thanks to you.”

“No… you earned it. I am so proud of you!” Max said as they parted. “Ugh… I’m gonna miss you when you’re at work!”

“You’ll just have to show me how much when I get back.” Rachel winked, trying to stay upbeat despite her own niggling feeling that she was going to miss both Max and Chloe during her work days.

“Told her?” Chloe said, closing the front door behind her and kicking off her boots.

“We have an actress in our midst!” Max said with a small laugh. “So… I guess we’re eating out tonight to celebrate?”

“Fuck. Yes.” Rachel nodded as she took her phone out of her pocket. “But… there’s somebody else I need to tell, and I’d like to invite them too if that’s okay?”

“The more the merrier! We haven’t seen her in a couple of days and… I kinda miss the tease,” Chloe agreed, making Rachel feel a little better for asking.

While Rachel made a phone call to Jen, she watched Max return to what she was doing on the laptop. The brunette girl was looking for a new apartment or house in San Francisco, a determined look on her face as she saved website links to a document while leaving notes.

Max had a number already listed down, with a few open tabs on her browser. Chloe pulled a chair around to sit with Max so they could go over the options together.

“Hey Rach!” Jen said when she finally answered her phone.

“Hey Jen, are you busy tonight?” Rachel asked, turning away from the laptop to not be distracted.

“I was going to sit on my ass and play a game, but if you have something better in mind?”

“Come out with us for a meal. Kelly and Brooke are invited too!”

“What’s the occasion?” Jen laughed down the line.

“It’s a surprise! Just come round and we’ll go out for a meal.” Rachel smirked at Max, who had turned to watch her on the phone.

“Alright, alright. Pushy. I’ll check with the girls. If they’re busy it’ll just be me, okay?”

“Sounds fine.” Rachel nodded, despite knowing Jen couldn’t see her. “See you soon.”

“See you later, gorgeous,” Jen responded just before she hung up.

Pocketing her phone, Rachel returned to her two girlfriends and sat on Chloe’s lap as they looked through the choices Max had found so far. One by one they talked about different places on their list, slowly removing the ones they didn’t like.

“Are we going to have enough money to do this?” Chloe asked as Max closed another window on the browser.

“Yeah… we’ll use some of the winnings to put down the deposit and pay rent,” Max responded with a small smile.

“And we can use my pay for stuff until one of you gets a consistent job,” Rachel added, turning on Chloe’s lap so she could lean back and look into the girl’s blue eyes.

“You sure about that? It’s your money…” Chloe said with a frown.

“Of course I’m sure! I wouldn’t have said so otherwise.” Rachel stood up and turned around to straddle Chloe’s lap so she could look the girl dead in the eyes. “We share everything, Chloe. A bit like we share each other.” She smirked as she took hold of Max’s hand. 

“Well, when you put it like that…” Chloe said with a sheepish grin.

“Alright… enough puppy dog eyes, we need to find a new place soon! I’m tired of living in this box,” Max said firmly, kissing Rachel once on the cheek before returning to the laptop.

“You picked it,” Rachel teased as she rest her head on Chloe’s, turned to the side so she could look at Max.

“I didn’t have much choice. I had a sleeping girl on my hands,” Max retorted with a playful smirk.

“Excuses, Max. You’re a Time God… you could have gotten us a mansion if you wanted.”

“Hindsight… would you like me to go back and change it?” Max smirked as she opened another tab on the laptop.

“No, it’s okay… everything is perfect how it is,” Rachel whispered as she felt Chloe’s hands on her back, holding her tightly.

That evening, they went out to one of the restaurants in the city with Jen. They’d tried to look their best for the occasion but somehow still ended up looking very casual. Kelly and Brooke had other plans that evening, but Jen seemed to be content hanging out with the three girls once more. She had the same fire and energy despite Max’s recent admissions, and she wasn’t afraid of the brunette girl like they’d worried about.

In fact, if Rachel hadn’t known better, she’d have assumed Jen and Max were unusually close. The dark-haired girl was sitting closer to Max, pushing her sideways when the brunette girl told a joke or teased her back.

“So… the reason for this little meal…” Rachel said, pulling Jen’s attention away from Max for a moment.

“You’re inviting me to partake in some after-meal enjoyment? I wouldn’t say no…” Jen teased almost immediately, causing Max to slap her arm.

“Always sexual…” Chloe groaned, but Rachel could see the smile on her face.

“Look… I am surrounded by three very pretty and very hot girls, who I just happen to appreciate and adore. Who would I be to refuse them some loving Jen time, huh?” Jen retorted, almost like she’d been saving her speech.

“Well, that’s why you’re here. We wanted some Jen time so we could tell you something important,” Max said, a smirk on her sweet lips.

“Oh… well, I’ll shut up and listen then.” Jen grinned, leaning back in her chair to allow Rachel to continue.

“I had my audition today and… they gave me the job, plus voice acting!” Rachel said with a wide smile on her face.

“Holy fucking… you got it?” Jen shouted.

“Uh-huh, I start in two weeks… it’s gonna be hella awesome!” Rachel beamed.

Jen climbed out of her chair and rushed around the table to give Rachel a big hug.

“Well done! I’m so happy for you! And Max winning that competition too? You three really are on a roll!” Jen chuckled, gradually releasing Rachel from her grip.

“They’re on a roll; I just drive them around,” Chloe corrected her with a small shrug.

“So? You’re enabling their dreams, Blue. You’re being supportive, you’re not holding them back!” Jen argued gently as she sat back down beside Max. “I’d kill to have that job. Drive them around, partake in picture taking, see the fucking sights.”

“You know you can always come with us,” Max said, nudging Jen in the side. “I miss taking pictures of you and Rachel together.”

“They’re good pictures too. You’d make a good model,” Chloe agreed before taking a sip from her drink.

“Come on… don’t put me on the spot! I’m nowhere near the gorgeous Rachel’s league.” Jen shook her head, looking away towards the waitress. Rachel could see the red in her cheeks though, the blush that meant she was slightly embarrassed.

“Holy shit… we actually got you to blush!” Rachel laughed.

“Oh, fuck off,” Jen growled, hiding her cheeks behind her hands. “Fucking assholes.”

“It’s so fucking cute!” Rachel carried on as Chloe and Max both laughed with her.

“Alright… I’ll strike poses and be all sexy for you if you’ll just stop,” Jen quickly said, looking towards Max.

“Deal.” Max held out her hand all business-like, making Rachel smirk.

Jen accepted the handshake and laughed at the silliness of it all. “Oh, what have I got myself into?”

“Naked shoots. Kneeling before the photographer…” Rachel started rattling off jokes.

“The Time Queen, more like,” Jen quickly added, causing Rachel to smirk.

Rachel was about to say something else when one of the waitresses stepped up to the table, a wide smile on her face.

“Can I get you anything else?” she said politely.

“Desserts!” Jen said, tapping her hands on the table. “I have a very sweet tooth,” she said with a wink and a smile.

Rachel knew at that moment that if Jen had her way, it wouldn’t be a chocolate fudge cake that would be her choice of dessert.

* * *

 

A few really nice and relaxed days after Rachel’s successful audition, Max was starting to feel anxious about the trip to Seattle. They’d received the tickets for a flight there, as well the reservations for their hotel room. Everything was planned, but Max couldn’t shake the feelings. She’d been at the San Francisco Gallery in an alternate timeline and it had been fine, but the storm had happened and she’d lost Chloe. Her one success had been spoiled by another failure, and it was hard to shake that.

Rachel seemed to understand how she was feeling and had taken charge of organising the rest of the trip. She helped  keep Max’s mind off the gallery and on getting things prepared, like packing their bags and making sure they had the things they were going to need.

They spent the evening before their flight at Jen’s, enjoying the company of friends as a way to distract Max from how anxious she was feeling. It was the perfect solution, because she had to remain on her toes with Jen’s consistent teasing and joking. Max spent most of the night leaning against Chloe, comforted by the girl’s arms around her and her breath on her neck.

The following morning, Jen picked them up from their apartment in Kelly’s car. She helped them to load their three bags into the vehicle before taking them to the San Francisco Airport.

When they finally arrived in Seattle three hours later, Max was surprised to see her mom waiting for them at the airport. At first she thought it was a coincidence until she was wrapped in her mom’s arms.

“I am so proud of you!” her mom gushed, kissing her forehead lovingly.

“How did you know we’d be here?” Max asked as she was finally released.

“Rachel called me… though I think Chloe had something to do with it.” Vanessa smirked, looking past Max. Looking around, Max saw smiles on both Chloe’s and Rachel’s faces as they watched the mother-daughter reunion.

“They’re sneaky, they never told me,” Max commented, looking back at her mom. “Does Pop know?”

“You know how stubborn your father can be,” Vanessa said sadly as she took Max’s bag from her. “Let’s put your things in the car. I’m your taxi to the hotel.”

“You sure? We can get a taxi,” Rachel said, finally saying something to Vanessa.

“Of course! You didn’t ask, but I’m offering.” Vanessa smiled warmly at Rachel.

Max was relieved that her mom didn’t disapprove of Rachel in the same way her father did. It made the drive from the airport to their hotel that much more relaxed. Vanessa was asking Rachel all kinds of questions about her new job, some of which the blonde girl couldn’t answer since she didn’t start until next week after they returned from Seattle. 

They checked into their hotel and said their goodbyes to Vanessa, who gave all of them a hug, much to Rachel’s surprise. Max overheard Vanessa telling Chloe and Rachel to look after her, to which they assured her they would. It was completely different from the last time she had said goodbye to her mom, but it made her feel more certain about Liz’s words that her father would eventually come around.

The room wasn’t as grandiose as the penthouse suites they had enjoyed during their brief trips outside of San Francisco, but they wouldn’t be spending as long in the room this time. They didn’t have a large living area to relax in, just the simple bedroom and bathroom. Max couldn’t stop herself from missing the larger way of living, especially as it afforded them much more space for three of them.

Rachel was the first one into the bathroom to grab a shower, giving Max some time with Chloe. The blue-haired punk was staring out of the window at Seattle, a thoughtful look on her pretty face.

“Everything okay?” Max asked, tentatively putting her arm around Chloe’s waist.

“Just thinking about what I wanna do when you two are big and famous,” the girl said, putting an arm over Max’s shoulders.

“I thought you were going to be my bodyguard?” Max replied, worried that Chloe wasn’t going to be comfortable just doing that.

“You are going to need one… aren’t you?” Chloe smirked as she looked at Max.

“Mhm, I need my Lara Croft while I’m busy taking pictures of beautiful and mysterious places. And if Rachel and I are famous… so many people are going to want to see us…” Max teased, trying to play up to their need of a wonderful bodyguard.

“Tomb Raider, Chloe Price!” Chloe laughed gently. “Nah… I’ll stick with…”

“Chloe Price, my beautiful partner in crime.”

“And time, hippie. I can rewind with you!” Chloe responded with a squeeze of Max’s shoulders.

“And time… so Rachel is our partner in crime, for sure.”

“Oh, yeah… big crime in there. Watch out for her wine stealing tricks.” Chloe chuckled, turning towards Max and putting a hand on her side. “You nervous about tomorrow? Don’t lie, I know you Max.”

“A little bit. Just anxious, I guess.” Max shrugged as she looked into Chloe’s eyes. “Last time I was at a place like that… I lost you.”

“Well, that won’t happen this time. There’s no imminent storm, and I’m here with you. Rach is, too! So… no way anything bad is gonna happen.” Chloe sounded so sure, it actually made Max feel a little better.

“And Jen?” Max asked, thinking of the poor girl’s battle with her own demons.

“Call her if you want. She’ll probably tell you to quit worrying and enjoy sexy fun time.” Chloe smirked.

Max couldn’t stop herself from letting out a small laugh, because it sounded exactly like what Jen would say. 

“I feel… bad for telling her that I can’t save Liz. It keeps making me wonder if I should have… whether she’d be better off not knowing,” she finally explained, letting out something that had been eating at her since that night.

“Knowing Liz got those gifts and they were tormenting her? I think it could change anybody’s opinion.” Chloe shrugged with an uncertain expression on her face. “It’s been two weeks though. If she were upset… I think you’d know about it. You did tell her you saved her life, too.”

“I know… I think… it’s kind of bonded us. She knows how far I’ll go for her. It’s not just us knowing what her friendship means now; she knows it, too.”

“Which is something people need, Max. Knowing how much you struggled for those five years without me… even if I was going through shit too… well, I can understand it better.” Chloe smiled. It was the first time they’d talked about those five years in a serious way since they’d first left Arcadia Bay together.

“That would be… the one time I would want to return to, so I could put it all right. Never leave you, have this sooner…” Max mused, thinking of all the things the three of them could have got up to at school together.

“It might not have been like this, though. This is because you and Rach had time together to connect, to get closer. It’s because you met somebody who opened both of your eyes to the idea of a triad instead of a couple,” Chloe retorted, a thoughtful look on her face. “If these things hadn’t happened… you and I might have been together but… Rach? I don’t think we’d have her.”

“Unless she kept her memories like me! Like you would probably have since we’re… connected.” Max argued, trying to think of a way to put everything right for Liz and Jen.

“You might be a Time God… but there are some things you need to let go, babe,” the punk girl argued firmly, and deep down Max knew she was right.

Rather than debate the point any further, Max rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder and looked out of the window at the darkening sky. She couldn’t change time and lose the people she cared for most, though she wanted Jen to find some happiness in life too.

“Jen needs to want to love somebody else again,” Max whispered softly.

“Mhm… and until she does, we can’t force her to move on from Liz. But we can be her friends,” Chloe responded before kissing Max’s head.

The following morning, Max’s anxiety was at an all time high. She wanted to call off the whole thing and remain in their hotel room, but Rachel and Chloe both kept her moving forward. Rachel helped her pick out her clothes and tied her hair back in a respectable ponytail. Then when Max was ready, Chloe stole her away from the room to go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast while Rachel finished getting ready herself. They hadn’t been sat at the table long before Rachel had joined them, wearing a very respectable outfit to match Max’s with her hair straightened. Chloe had kept her punk theme, but even she was turning heads with how good she looked.

When they finally arrived at the Chase Space Gallery, Max felt like her heart was trying to escape her chest as she looked at the large sign above the door. Rachel hooked her arm around Max’s and gently started leading her up the steps into the foyer of the building. Chloe quickly took hold of Max’s other hand, keeping her moving forward.

“Well… if it isn’t Kari Price…” a very recognisable voice said from nearby.


	40. Merely a Prologue

“For the last fucking time…” Chloe started to grumble as she turned to face Victoria Chase, who merely laughed at her.

“Hi, Chloe… nice to see you too.” Victoria smiled warmly. “And Max Caulfield, hipster extraordinaire… congratulations on your win! I was surprised when my dad showed me the competition results and saw your name at the top of the list,” she continued, holding out her hand for Max to shake.

“Thanks, Victoria.” Max smiled, accepting the proffered hand.

“And Rachel Amber… goes missing for 6 months, reappears out of the blue, and doesn’t even text me,” Victoria said, looking at Rachel.

“Busy life… you know, escaping from Nathan, Jefferson, and the other assholes who tried to abduct me,” Rachel said with a hint of snark in her voice.

“I’m sorry. I had heard but… it’s been a strange few months.” Victoria nodded respectfully. “Are you okay now? Moved on from it all?”

“As best as I can. The hipster and the punk have certainly helped with that,” Rachel answered gently. She slid her hand into Max’s to lace their fingers together and squeezed tightly.

“Oh, so… oh…” Victoria’s eyes went wide as she looked at how Max was holding Chloe’s and Rachel’s hands. “I had… no idea…” she continued, apparently embarrassed.

“We haven’t been announcing it to the world, yet.” Rachel sniggered, releasing Max’s hand now that she’d got the message across. “Come on, Chloe… let’s go and look around while Max talks to Vic.”

“That okay?” Chloe said, looking at Max who gave a quick nod of her head.

“I should be okay with Vic,” Max responded with a wry smile.

“She might try to suck your blood though,” Rachel whispered quietly into her ear, making Max chuckle.

As Rachel and Chloe walked away from Max and Victoria, they could hear the pixie cut blonde girl telling Max information to do with the gallery and the competition, but they were soon out of earshot as Rachel pulled Chloe towards some of the pictures on display from other entries.

There were already a number of people gathered around what Rachel assumed was Max’s picture. She had never seen which one Max had sent, so when she managed to get a view she was surprised when she saw it.

They spent a little time admiring Max’s work, appreciating the talent their girlfriend possessed for photography. As Rachel looked at the picture, she realised Max and Chloe were going to need to travel to continue capturing such amazing shots, but it didn’t fit with the job she had.

“Having fun?” Max asked when she rejoined them.

“Admiring your work.” Chloe smirked, putting an arm around Max.

“Excuse me, you’re Max Caulfield?” one of the other admirers said. “I couldn’t help but overhear your friend.”

“Yep! This is the one and only… Max Caulfield,” Rachel quickly answered, putting her concerns to the back of her mind.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The man offered his hand to Max, who politely accepted the handshake. “You have a fantastic eye. Would you… talk with me a bit, about the piece?”

“Sure! What would you like to know?” Max smiled kindly.

As the day wore on, more people spoke to Max about her picture, asking her questions and congratulating her on the win. Rachel was glad she was getting the admiration she deserved, especially as they had been working so hard towards this moment for so long. It was another milestone they had managed to hit.

She walked away from her two girlfriends for a while, admiring the other pieces of art when she ran into Victoria once more, who was replacing some information cards beside another piece of art.

“Hey Vic,” Rachel said politely.

“Hey. How’s Max enjoying her fame?” Victoria asked, straightening the bands on her wrist.

“I think she’s lost in the chaos.” Rachel smiled, folding her arms across her chest. “So… what have you been doing since the storm?”

“Until I’m on another photography course, my father wants me to pull my weight for the family. He feels if I spend enough time in the art world, I may get a better understanding of it. Not like I need one…” Victoria said softly, careful not be overheard. “What about you? Other than living with Max and Chloe. She kind of let it slip.”

“Still chasing that big dream.” Rachel shrugged. “You helped organise that memorial in Arcadia, didn’t you?”

“The Vortex after-party. Max and Chloe were there, or so Steph told me, but they left pretty quick.” Victoria nodded.

“You have a talent for that… maybe you should organise other events? Get the rich and famous to dig into their pockets for good causes?” Rachel said with a small smile. “At least until you get on another course.”

“I guess it’s something I could look into… thanks, Rach. Never knew you cared.” Victoria smirked as she started to walk away.

“It was high school… we all have to grow up, make sacrifices, change our plans.” She smiled more to herself as she turned away towards the small group of people around Max.

_ What I would give up for you… just say the word, Max.  _ She thought to herself as she returned to the crowd. She noticed Chloe sat on one of the white plush benches outside the crowd.

“You okay?” Rachel asked, sliding onto the seat beside her.

“Getting hungry… but trying not to kill Max’s moment. You?” Chloe replied, leaning back slightly to look at Rachel.

“Could eat… it is like… getting late,” she answered, taking out her phone to check the time. “Oh yeah… missed lunch.”

“I… don’t wanna pull her away from her moment,” the punk girl said, putting an arm around Rachel.

“She’s going to kill us if we don’t rescue her soon,” Rachel responded as she rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

“Just a little longer.”

After they finally left the gallery, they went out to a restaurant in Seattle to talk about their experience, particularly how Max felt throughout the day. She was no longer the anxious girl from that morning, but full of energy and enthusiastic. She’d made some interesting contacts who represented a number of other galleries around the United States as well as internationally. 

They talked all evening about the opportunities it presented, with Max the most eager of the three of them. But every mention of something international or in another state caused Rachel to become concerned that she was going to start losing more time with the girls she loved. She didn’t want to be alone in San Francisco when they were in New York or Paris. She knew if she had a modelling job instead she could end up travelling more than them, but then she’d always assumed they would go with her anyway.

Returning to their hotel room that night, she lay on their bed to think while Max got changed into more comfortable nightwear. Chloe decided to grab a shower and slipped into the bathroom, but she left the door ajar so they could hear the running water.

“You okay?” Max asked as she crawled up the bed. “You look worried,” she added, lying on her side with her head on a pillow.

“Thinking about how much travelling you two will be doing without me…” Rachel admitted to Max, though she wasn’t sure if she’d have told Chloe so quickly.

“Because of work?” the brunette girl said as she took hold of Rachel’s hand, that comforting touch only her girlfriends were capable of.

“Yeah… I hoped we’d travel together, see the world, but I need a job and… this one will keep me in San Francisco.” She rolled onto her side to look at Max a little better, wanting to look the girl in the eyes as she spoke. “Ever since you saved me… ever since I’ve fallen in love with you, we’ve never been apart. Trips to Jen’s… it’s never a long time, you were always right down the street but… this? We could be in different states, different countries and…”

“And that’s never going to happen,” Max quickly said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I told you I’m never leaving you, or Chloe. We go places together, see new places together. If that means we’re in one city while you work, and then we travel… Rach, I’d do that for you.”

“You know… I’d probably quit the job if you asked me to. If you told me to quit my dream for you and Chloe… I would, Max. I have never felt that way about anything else before in my life.”

“I’ll never ask you to. We’ll make it work, because that’s what we do.” Max moved a little closer to Rachel, placing a hand on her hip and their foreheads together. Just like the days when they couldn’t kiss, that small connection that spoke a thousand words.

“You’re… such a fucking pain in my heart,” Rachel tried to joke, but Max’s pretty eyes were disarming her charm. She just wanted to kiss the brunette girl for knowing the right thing to say.

“You’ve been hella awesome these past few days, keeping me calm, taking over when I needed somebody to. Rach, you’ve been incredible.”

“You earned this day. You worked your ass off trying to get all those pictures, even when we didn’t have Chloe with us. Don’t ever let anybody tell you otherwise!” Rachel quickly said, placing her hand on Max’s side. “I’m really proud of you, I’m so...” she was suddenly silenced as Max’s lips were pressed firmly to her own.

It was a passionate assault, one that Max wasn’t really known for. It was normally Chloe or Rachel who would initiate things and draw Max into the moment, but this time it was the petite girl who was taking control. Rachel could hear the shower as Max’s tongue teased her own, enticing her senses and making her want more. 

Just as quickly, Max pulled away, placing her thumb to her mouth and biting her nail. She looked confused, even worried.

“What’s up?” Rachel asked, concerned for her girlfriend.

“I’ve never been in the… ravishing mood, especially when Chloe’s in the shower and…” Max mumbled, making Rachel giggle gently.

“Let me ask you something… and answer me honestly, okay?” Rachel said, to which Max quickly nodded. “Do you feel like you could do anything in the world right now?” Max nodded again, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “That is the adrenaline from the day. No more nerves, no more worrying, just the pure feeling that I get after I’ve been in a show…”

“That’s why you kissed Chloe; you felt like you could do anything…”

“And I don’t regret it, because I wanted her then… I still want her now.” Rachel smiled as she brushed Max’s hair out of her eyes.

“What if Chloe comes out… and gets jealous?” Max asked, making Rachel laugh a little louder.

“She won’t. She’ll just think we got the action started without her and we’ll be making it up to her all night.” She winked playfully, trying to alleviate some of the worry Max was displaying. “We have to be us, too… for this to work. Especially when we’re always so close…”

Max gave another nod of her head and leaned in towards Rachel, her hand going back to Rachel’s side when their lips pressed together once more. As Max’s worries slowly ebbed away, the passion intensified once more until the girl was sliding her hand up Rachel’s t-shirt.

She enjoyed the fact Max was initiating it and taking control, the soft touch of Max’s fingers against her skin. Max firmly pushed Rachel onto her back and slipped a leg over her thighs, straddling the blonde girl.

Breaking their wonderful kiss, the petite girl sat up and looked down at Rachel, wearing a confident smirk on her lips. Max placed her hands on the hem of her own nightshirt and pulled the fabric straight up and over her head, revealing her small breasts to Rachel.

“No bra tonight?” Rachel teased. Softly, she scratched her fingernails up Max’s stomach to her chest then gently squeezed her breasts.

“At this rate… nothing at all tonight,” Max retorted as she lay back down upon Rachel, reigniting their passionate kiss.

Rachel was keenly aware as the sound of the falling water stopped. She wrapped an arm around Max’s bare waist but kept a hand on one of her breasts, slowing their kisses as she waited for the blue-haired punk to exit the bathroom.

“Oh… are you two always horny now or something?” Chloe said, causing both Max and Rachel to look in her direction. “I mean… getting started without me is just mean!”

“Max felt like she could do anything,” Rachel responded with a smile. “You know that feeling, Price!”

“Mhm…” Chloe smirked, holding her towel tight around her chest as she walked over to their bed. “Looks like I’m just gonna have to join in…” the girl said, sitting beside them on the edge of the bed and placing her hand on Rachel’s, which was resting on Max’s back.

“You’re always welcome…” Max purred, making Rachel proud of her feisty girlfriend.

* * *

 

They returned to San Francisco a couple of days later as planned, just in time for Rachel to start work. They soon started to get into a habit in the morning. Rachel would grab a shower while Max cooked breakfast and Chloe searched for a new apartment online. They’d then take Rachel to work and return home and grab showers themselves. Sometimes together, depending on their mood, especially now that they would have the apartment to themselves without feeling as though they were missing Rachel out.

Chloe and Max would spend the day hunting for jobs, taking pictures, and sometimes even hanging out with Jen when she had a day off. Max was receiving requests as well now that her competition had elevated her notoriety. She’d already sold a number of her pictures to private collectors thanks to Victoria acting as an intermediary, something none of them had expected.

By the end of January, they had found a house to move into instead of an apartment. They would be a little further away from Jen, but still within walking distance. Moving day was a tiring affair, but Chloe’s truck once again proved its worth. While Max and Rachel carefully took down their art wall, Chloe took their bed apart with Jen’s help.

Max, Chloe, and Rachel then went on ahead with a lot of their things, unloaded at the house, and left Max behind to start unpacking. It was a back and forth affair, with Kelly and Brooke joining them towards the end of the day when their work days had ended.

By midnight that night, they had completely moved out of the small box apartment into a two bedroom house with a separate kitchen and living room. Max’s winnings had paid for the deposit as well as the first month of rent. 

Without any furniture to sit on, the six girls sat around the floor of the living room with pizza boxes open between them. Chloe sat against a wall with Max leaning against her, their fingers laced together and resting on her left leg as they laughed with their friends.

“So, how does it feel to be a respected artist?” Kelly asked as she took another slice of pizza from a box.

“Weird… but if it pays the rent,” Max answered with a small shrug. “I’m just glad we have more space… even if it’s empty right now.”

“Yeah, but it can only get better now.” Jen grinned as she sipped from a bottle of water. “I’m expecting to walk in one day and find Chloe playing games while you’re trying to work.”

“Oh sweet, can we get a gaming console?” Chloe asked when Rachel slapped her arm.

“You’ll be way too busy to play games.” Rachel sniggered as she took hold of Chloe’s other hand.

“That sounds like an invitation, Blue! Better drag them upstairs before it ends,” Jen winked, only to be tapped on the leg by Brooke.

“Stop teasing them so much, you’re like a big kid,” Brooke groaned, but she was wearing a smile.

“Can we make a custody deal? You get Jen on weekends and we’ll have her during the week?” Kelly teased playfully, making Jen’s jaw drop.

“You… don’t want me living with you anymore?” Jen asked, the shock evident in her voice.

“You spend enough time with these three… you might as well move in with them!” Brooke laughed, taking hold of Jen’s hand.

“No, you’re not moving out!” Kelly quickly added.

“Thank fuck… you had me worried for a minute then…” Jen muttered.

“You know… we do have a spare room now…” Rachel whispered to Chloe. “She can always stay over whenever she wants…”

“After the amount of times we’ve stayed at hers…” Max added, with a small smirk.

“If you ever wanna stay over Jen, you’re always welcome,” Chloe said, taking the hints from her two girls. “We have a spare room, we can get a bed for you… a home away from home.”

“Fucking seriously?” Jen asked with a frown. “I’d have a room here, too?”

“You’re our best friend. Why the fuck not? Then you’ll never have to feel like you’re intruding!” Rachel responded, a note of happiness in her voice.

“Two homes… fucking hell, Jen.” Brooke beamed, nudging Jen’s leg gently.

“Just lucky I guess.” Jen stretched out her legs and laughed.

“And very lovable!” Rachel added as she rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

Max reached behind her and turned on the TV, the only possession alongside the DVD player that they had for their unfurnished living room. She flicked through the channels absently while Chloe watched, their friends talking or laughing at a story Jen was telling about her work. Max suddenly left the news one, and Chloe understood why.

In bold letters across the screen it said ‘Mark Jefferson, Dead.’ All of their attention was turned to the TV as the news anchor spoke.

“Federal Witness, Mark Jefferson, took his own life yesterday before giving evidence. The FBI had no reason to believe he was suicidal, especially as he had been so willing to give evidence.” The man said. The footage suddenly switched to a member of the FBI, but Rachel and Jen were both cheering and drowning out the sound.

“That fucker is finally gone!” Jen shouted. “That’s fucking celebration material if I ever heard it!”

“I hope no tears were shed for that piece of shit. Fuck him.” Rachel nodded as she reached across Chloe to take Max’s hand.

“A man died… are we really that happy?” Brooke asked, a look of shock on her face.

“That wasn’t a man! That was a fucking monster. It’s just a shame somebody else can’t take the credit for it,” Jen retorted quickly.

“He abducted girls, drugged them, took nasty little pictures of them…” Rachel argued, her hand squeezing Chloe’s a little more firmly. “He deserves it.”

“I told you what he did to Liz, even had the FBI at our door!” Jen added as well. “Had I fucking known back then… if I had the power to…” she glanced at Max and quickly stopped her rant. “Thank fuck somebody found out about his sordid little hobby. If I knew them… I’d wanna give them a kiss!” 

Chloe grinned at the subtle hint, but understood what Jen was saying. Nobody had told Kelly or Brooke yet, but they weren’t as close to them as Jen was. She wondered if they should tell them, but the more people that knew, the riskier it would be for Max.

“It’s just a shame justice wasn’t served,” Max said quietly, pulling Chloe away from her thoughts. “He should have gone to prison.”

“Maybe death was too easy.” Jen shrugged. “But… it’s still an improvement over a cushy lifestyle at taxpayers’ expense.”

“That… we can definitely agree on,” Brooke said with a small nod.

“He never seemed like the type to kill himself… too far up his own ass,” Chloe commented off-hand.

“Probably the realisation that his works will never see the light of day…” Rachel responded with a shrug.

“And the risk of ending up in prison if his deal falls through. I hear prison is rough on child predators,” Jen added with a smirk. “Easy way out, right?”

“Right!” Rachel nodded.

Max flicked off the news channel and pushed Chloe to put on a DVD instead, something she was all too willing to do. Blade Runner was always going to be her movie of choice at times like this.

“Not again!” Rachel moaned loudly.

“Nothing wrong with a bit of Blade Runner!” Jen chastised her quickly. “Can appreciate Deckard’s rugged good looks and imagine Pris…”

“She gets it! I fucking told you!” Chloe laughed as she sat back down between Max and Rachel.

“Thanks for enabling her, Jen… real good work!” Rachel said, giving Jen a thumbs up and a sarcastic nod.

“She has good taste!” Jen shrugged with a smirk.

“Max! Back me up!” Rachel pleaded, looking around Chloe at the petite girl.

“I have a better idea,” Max said with a grin, pushing herself up off the floor. “How about you and I go upstairs while they watch their Blade Runner?” she teased, holding her hands out to help Rachel up.

“Ugh… that’s so fucking mean!” Chloe groaned as Rachel took Max’s hands with a wide smile.

“Hey, you wanna watch Blade Runner and swoon over Pris,” Rachel retorted as she started pulling Max towards the staircase.

Kelly, Brooke, and Jen were laughing loudly at the exchange as Chloe watched her girlfriends slowly start to make their way upstairs without her, a teasing smirk on both of their faces. Chloe sat there for a moment, stunned by what she’d just seen, wondering if she should chase after them or stay with their guests.

“You’re gonna miss out!” Jen laughed. “If you won’t go up there… I will.” She winked playfully.

She wasn’t quite quick enough as Jen stood up and rushed upstairs, leaving Chloe even more dumbfounded as Kelly and Brooke laughed at her confusion.

“What the fuck just happened?” she muttered, looking between the two girls.

“I think Jen is about to steal your girls if you don’t get up there…” Kelly sniggered with Brooke.

Pushing herself up off the floor, Chloe rushed up the stairs after the three other girls and into their bedroom. Max, Rachel, and Jen were all sat on the bed waiting for her, laughing at the look on her face when she’d expected them to be doing something else.

“Fucking hell, Blue. I didn’t think you were that gullible!” Jen laughed, leaning against Rachel to stop herself from falling.

“Stopped you watching Blade Runner though.” Max grinned as she leaned back onto the bed, propping herself up on her arms.

“You know what…” Chloe grumbled, looking from one girl to the next and deciding on a really mean trick. “Jen… I pushed Max to investigate Jefferson. Without me she’d never have started…”

“Are you saying… you found out about his sordid little hobby?” Jen said, a flicker of mischief in her blue eyes.

“Yep, worked my butt off to do so! And technically Max was here… so I must have done it alone.” She smirked playfully as Max’s mouth fell open.

“Well…” Jen said, getting off the bed and standing in front of Chloe. “I did say…”

“You did.” Chloe grinned as Rachel realised what was about to happen.

“I am one to stick to my word...” Jen winked, placing her hands on Chloe’s hips. “I guess I owe you this…”

“Don’t even think about it!” Rachel said, pulling Chloe away from Jen as the dark-haired girl started to laugh.

“Oh, so close, Blue… maybe another time.” Jen smirked as she leaned against the bedroom’s door frame.

“So many opportunities for me to get that kiss,” Chloe teased further.

“You kiss her, Price… and you’re on the couch for a year,” Max growled in Chloe’s ear as she was pulled to sit between Rachel and Max on the bed.

“I second that!” Rachel added, keeping a tight grip on Chloe’s arm.

“Alright… well shucks.” Jen smiled as she looked at the three of them. “Well… while you three play thirty toes, I’m going to go back downstairs and eat some more pizza. Don’t be too long!” She laughed as she left them in the bedroom together.

“Would you have done it?” Max asked quietly.

“Kiss her?” Chloe retorted, looking sideways at Max as she was pushed to lie down on the bed by the brunette girl.

“Mhm…”

“No. I was just playing with you both,” she answered as Rachel stared at her. “I’d never do that, to either of you.”

“Good…” Rachel nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer.

“Alright, back downstairs! We have guests!” Max said, leaning over to give Chloe a quick peck on the lips.

As Chloe was pulled to stand up once more she was kissed by Rachel as well. She was led  from the room by her fingertips as Max brought up the rear, flicking off the bedroom light on her way out.

* * *

 

Despite arguments over who would do the dishes, who would clean the house, the clothes, the list of chores none of them wanted to do, Max wouldn’t have changed the direction her life was going for anything. 

At times she knew her anxieties were rearing their ugly heads, but Chloe and Rachel were always there to reassure her. They helped her overcome the obstacles, making her better for it. Some days she would go out with Chloe while Rachel was at work. They’d pick up Jen and go on a photoshoot at a skatepark, pushing Jen and Chloe to compete on tricks while Max took photos.

They’d all go out for meals at a nice restaurant by the Bay, a wonderful view only made better by the company of the people they loved. Max could spend hours just watching Chloe and Rachel, the two people who had turned her life around and given her more than her own thoughts for company. They were her partners for life, even as they were one another’s. Everything was shared: every secret, every fear. Even some Rachel had kept for so long out of fear of upsetting Chloe or Max.

Fights were normal, and drama was consistent when they lived their lives so closely as they did. Rachel’s free spirit required that need to explore and see or experience something new, while sometimes Chloe and Max just wanted to laze in bed and allow the day to pass them by. They would find the balance so everybody got what they wanted, even when they needed more personal time with one another.

Chloe’s birthday came upon them quickly, but rather than trying to outdo one another with gifts, Max and Rachel decided to get something from both of them. They bought her a tattoo kit as well as all the equipment she would need to practice. They’d also taken her to a nice hotel in LA for a couple of nights without having to worry about Jen.

A year before, Max had counted Chloe’s birthday off on a calendar and hoped she was okay, too afraid to get in touch. Too afraid to be the friend she should have been. She planned to put that right, to make it up to her for every year afterwards. 

Her powers stopped bothering her, even when she went for weeks without using them. Each of the events that had caused her pain had been tied to Aion, who now seemed content to allow Max’s life to proceed how she wanted. She had no need to rewind and change something, no need to freeze time and exclude Rachel from something with Chloe. Her gift still hadn’t extended to Rachel like it had Chloe, but the punk girl had been her first ever sexual experience. A special moment in her life that she continued to cherish.

One morning she woke up to find the bed empty and lay still for a while, listening to the clatter of utensils echoing up the stairs through the open bedroom door. She didn’t know who was cooking, but it was definitely a pancake day, something they loved to make together. Rolling onto her side, she was about to climb out of bed when Rachel walked into the bedroom in her underwear and climbed back into bed.

“Morning gorgeous,” Rachel purred as she wrapped Max in her arms.

“Hi,” Max whispered, nuzzling into Rachel’s neck.

“Sleep okay?”

“Mhm… best night ever,” she replied with a smile on her face.

“We thought you might like it…” Rachel teased as her fingers danced up Max’s bare back.

“What’s the plan today?” Max asked, removing her head from the crook of Rachel’s neck to speak.

“Breakfast in bed… maybe some TV, still in bed and… generally a bed day.” Rachel smirked before kissing Max on the nose.

“It’s a year since…” Max started to say, only to be silenced by a quick kiss from Rachel.

“Yes… a year since you saved my ass. So we’re staying in bed in case fate comes to collect on the extra year I’ve had.” Rachel grinned. There was nothing serious in her tone. Just a joke they’d been telling to try to handle it together.

“I’ll just rewind it and save you again,” Max whispered, burying her head into Rachel’s neck again and giving it a quick kiss.

With the bedroom door still open, they listened to the clatter from the kitchen as Chloe made a noise. Every now and then they would hear her swear loudly, followed by a loud bang which would make them giggle together. 

Eventually, the blue haired girl appeared in the doorway with a tray of food and a warm smile on her face, despite the batter that was clinging to her cheek.

“Breakfast… is served,” she said with a sigh, kicking the door closed behind her and setting the tray down on the edge of the bed.

“I’m so glad it didn’t defeat you, Chloe,” Rachel teased gently as they sat up. 

Max kept a firm hand on the covers to protect her modesty, despite only being surrounded by her girlfriends.

“It was touch and go there for a minute! I almost lost the battle,” Chloe said, playing along as she slipped under the covers beside Max and pinched her thigh playfully. “Still naked I see…”

“I only just got up,” Max mumbled as a plate was passed to her by Rachel.

“I’m not complaining…” Rachel winked with a smirk.

“Neither am I. I would be a fool to complain about that bony white ass,” Chloe said with a laugh as she took a plate from Rachel as well.

“So… I just wanna say…” Rachel started to speak between mouthfuls. “One year ago today, this beautiful, wonderful little time traveller defied the fates and saved me. She gave me a chance at a future, and at first I had no idea what to do with it.” She smiled warmly at Max and Chloe, who had stopped eating to listen politely. “I am so lucky to have you both. You’re my best friends, my lovers, my world and… I look forward to our futures together.”

“So do I…” Chloe whispered with a smile on her face.

“More of this please!” Max grinned as she returned to her pancake breakfast.

“Deal!”

Max thought about what Rachel had said as they ate, the change a year could make. She’d had no real friends in Seattle, nobody who had text her or spoken to her after she’d left for Arcadia Bay. She’d never been kissed, never knew her sexuality until a blue-haired babe dared her for one kiss in her bedroom after a wonderful midnight swim. Now she had two of the most beautiful girls she had ever laid eyes on, who loved her as dearly as she loved them.

There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do to keep them both safe. She’d killed to save Rachel, she’d watched a town die to save them both. It was just the prologue to their lives together.


	41. Epilogue - What the Future Holds

As the warm water cascaded down her back, Jennifer Kane leaned against the warmed tiles of her best friends’ fancy ensuite bathroom in their far more modern house. She was there to house sit for them while they went away, but using the term house sitting would be a lie; she practically lived there now, but she paid her share thanks to the job she had scored from the sexy little photographer. She wasn’t just a part time model in Max Caulfield’s portfolios anymore; she was a full time model at her best friend’s beck and call, night or day, rain or shine. It meant working with Rachel, but she never complained when it was time to strip down to lingerie and pose.

Time with these friends never got old. It never lost its flare for laughter and surprise, especially when Max’s powers came into action. She was an enigma wrapped in a bundle of joy, and she couldn’t fault Liz for picking her. It was still a rough topic, even if Max knew almost everything there was to know. 

She finally turned off the shower and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her figure before taking another towel to start drying herself. Checking her hair in the mirror, she admired the funky little butterfly Chloe’s steady hands had shaved into the short side of her hair. The last thing the girl had done before they’d left, a reminder of their love for her even while they were away.

It wasn’t like she needed the constant reminder of how much they cared, but to know the three girls were treating her more like family meant a lot to her.

Leaving the bathroom, she entered the bedroom she’d been given. Liz’s things were carefully stashed in the top of the wardrobe since Kelly, Brooke, and herself had moved. She’d wanted to keep them safe and never got around to moving them back. She looked in the full length mirror at her body, releasing the towel from one side so she could admire the butterfly tattoo, now complete.

Her old tattoo artist had moved away before they’d completed it due to a lack of any real effort on Jen’s part to see it completed, but it gave Chloe the chance to be the one to complete it. Something she had managed to do flawlessly. Every detail was captured with Liz’s name artfully hidden in the edge of the wings. So many hours lying on her side with Chloe sat over her, laughing with all of the girls as they watched something on TV. 

She smiled at the memory and ran her fingers over the artwork before she was rudely interrupted.

“Jen! You’re gonna miss them! Hurry the fuck up!” Brooke shouted up the stairs.

Rather than miss out, she rushed from the room with the towel wrapped around her once more. Entering the living room as the TV flicked to an image of a small petite girl wearing a pink bikini.

“Skype call!” Max shouted with a wave. “How’s everybody doing?”

“We’re good, babe. Can you see us all okay?” Kelly answered with a wave of her own.

“Yep! Even Jen sneaking around with only a towel…” Max smirked as she looked at Jen.

“I was in the shower… not like you’re any more dressed than me.” Jen winked as she sat down beside Kelly on the couch. “So where are the other two to your triad?”

“One second.” Max smirked. She disappeared off screen for a moment, but the audio was still live. “Come on! We’re connected!” the girl shouted from off screen.

It took a moment, but suddenly Rachel’s beautiful face appeared on the screen, followed closely by Max and then finally Chloe. The punk girl no longer had the full blue head of hair, but instead she’d returned to her natural hair colour with a single lock of blue in her fringe. She was the only one who had gone through such a big change in the years that they’d known her.

“Hi everyone!” Rachel beamed as Max sat back down in her lap, putting her arm around the smaller girl.

“Hi Rach! Hi Chloe!” Brooke said with a small wave.

“So what’s with the call? I thought you were coming back tomorrow?” Jen asked, noticing the glances between the three girls.

“Okay so… moment of truth. Three…” Rachel smirked cheekily.

“Two…” Chloe said with a small roll of her eyes.

“One… surprise!” Max laughed as the three of them all showed off their left hands at the same time.

They were all wearing similar engagement rings and laughing at the surprised look on their friends’ faces.

“I thought… you guys couldn’t get married?” Kelly asked.

“We can’t.” Max shrugged.

“So instead… we’re going to have a commitment ceremony, and this is our way of letting you know.” Rachel laughed as she rest her head on Max’s shoulder. “So… you all have a week off, right? So you could spend time with us when we got back?”

“Yeah…” Brooke said, dragging out the word a little more.

“Well, you’re booked onto a flight tomorrow; you’re all coming here. So pack your bags, get your shit together and come join us!” Chloe grinned as she leaned against Max as well.

“Fucking seriously?” Jen asked, surprised at the sudden change in plans.

“Seriously. Because… we’ve also invited a number of other people too! We came out earlier to make final preparations…” Max answered with a smile. She looked positively radiant with the two girls either side of her. “It’s been a long time planning but… it would mean a lot to us if you can come!”

“We wouldn’t fucking miss it!” Brooke answered for all of them.

“So… there’s nothing legal?” Kelly asked, clearly hung up on the law side.

“It’s a private affair, just to say before all our friends and loved ones that we are committed to one another. You’ll hear the full speech when you get here!” Chloe answered as Max put an arm around her neck.

“It’ll be great! But we need you! We need our friends,” Rachel said, looking to both of her girls who nodded in agreement.

“Alright! We’re coming… we promise!” Jen said straight away.

“Good! Okay, we need to go. We love you all!” Rachel waved.

“See you tomorrow!” Kelly quickly answered for them all.

* * *

 

A day after their friends arrived from San Francisco, the triad had gone to different floors of the hotel they were staying in to get changed. The hotel’s ballroom had been rented for the occasion, they’d spent days making sure it was ready with small adjustments with their organisers and caterers. Rachel had exceeded herself in making sure it was perfect, something Max adored her for. 

Max was in Victoria’s hotel room, a person she had never expected to find herself friends with after the few months they had spent in Blackwell. Their friendship had blossomed after Max’s competition win, with the girl acting as her mediary for the art world she had found herself in. It had only grown over time as Victoria continued to be an excellent friend outside of their work. They rarely, if ever, actually saw each other, which had probably helped to begin with.

“You look… amazing,” Victoria said with a small sigh as Max looked at herself in the mirror.

They know what colour clothing they would each be wearing, but the style was completely up to them. She’d chosen a strapless, white dress, long enough to cover her legs and ankles but without touching the floor. While it was the traditional colour of the bride, she hadn’t chosen it for that reason. At first she’d wanted a very gentle pink, but then she felt like she was a bridesmaid, she wanted to put her mark on the wedding as much as her beautiful girlfriends would. 

“Are you sure?” Max said, turning sideways to look at herself from the side.

“Positive! You need to learn to trust me, Max,” Victoria answered.

“I… really don’t think I’m going to match up to either of them.” She frowned as she turned around, trying to look over her shoulder at the back.

“What happened to the confident woman who asked me to be here? I seem to recall her almost demanding it…” Victoria said with a sardonic smirk.

“She became putty in her girlfriends hands…” Max replied with a grin of her own.

“I’m sure Chloe is feeling the same way right now.”

“What about Rachel?” Max asked cautiously, she knew the two still didn’t quite along.

“I honestly don’t know… but I’m sure that friend of yours is keeping her focused.”

“You mean Jen?” Max checked her petite frame in the mirror once more, still uncertain about the dress.

“Mhm. I didn’t get long when you introduced us, but she seems keen on Rachel.”

“They’re best friends, and you can stop snooping!” Max laughed as there was a sharp knock on the door.

Victoria strode over to answer it, leaving Max to frown at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something felt wrong. It was missing something.

“Hi, Max,” Kate said as she entered the view of the mirror, a pretty smile on her face.

“How do I look?” Max asked, turning to the second girl who was helping her with her preparations.

“I think it’s missing something,” Kate answered, holding up a small flower bracelet.

“Oh, fuck! I knew it was something,” Max groaned, holding out her left hand for Kate to help her with it.

“Language, Max!” Kate frowned, gently placing the bracelet around Max’s wrist.

“Sorry, Kate… you know you might hear that a lot tonight?” Max tried not to smirk, she knew Chloe, Rachel and Jen were very liberal with their swearing.

“I can ignore it, but I expect better from you.” Kate smiled gently before Max turned back to the mirror.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, she realised how important this day would be to all of them. It wasn’t a wedding, they could never get married, but it was the closest thing they were ever going to get to that. They had all decided this would commit them to one another, there would never be anybody else. A wave of nausea suddenly hit her, the nerves reaching their peak.

“I’ll be right back…” Max said suddenly, rushing quickly to the bathroom.

She didn’t know if she was going to throw up, but she couldn’t splash her face with water after all the time Victoria had spent helping with her makeup. Instead, she leaned against the sink, staring at herself in the mirror as she tried to control how she was feeling, taking deep breaths to try to settle her stomach.

“You okay Max?” Kate asked through the door.

“Give me a minute…” Max sighed, closing her eyes and trying to think about how beautiful Chloe and Rachel were going to look, rather than the dozens of eyes looking at them.

“It’s almost time, they’re going to be waiting for you,” Victoria added with a knock on the door.

To give herself a little more time to compose herself, Max froze the world around her. She knew it would take some of her energy, but she needed that time. Aion fluttered down from above her and settled on the tap of the sink, absently fluttering its wings once more. It gave her something else to focus on than her feeling of nausea. She admired the black pattern in its wings and the subtle glow of the blue.

She had an idea come to her, something Liz had mentioned so long ago.

“I… have a favour to ask of you,” she whispered to the butterfly, a small smile on her lips.

* * *

 

“I look… like shit…” Chloe grumbled, looking down at the blue dress she had picked.

“You look awesome, you really shouldn’t be putting yourself down.” Steph chastised her gently. “Rachel and Max are going to be stunned.”

“Give me the other dress…” she growled, already unzipping the current one at the side.

“Seriously?” Steph asked with a small laugh, opening her wardrobe to retrieve Chloe’s back up dress.

While Max had Victoria and Kate looking after her, Chloe had asked Steph to help her. They weren’t exactly best buddies, a few rapid texts exchanged throughout the years wouldn’t make them best of friends, but Steph had always offered her good advice.

When Steph handed Chloe the second dress, she slipped into the bathroom to change. 

It didn’t take her long to slip out of the first and into the second, especially as she was running out of time. She prefered the second, especially as it went around her neck with an open back. She wasn’t showing off her cleavage, and she felt it matched her style better.

When she left the bathroom, Steph looked around and smirked approvingly.

“Okay… now you look awesome,” she said with a wink.

“Now I feel awesome,” Chloe replied with a smile, standing in front of a mirror to look at the sides and back. 

“I seriously can’t believe you asked me to be your… best woman?” Steph commented.She took a small blue flower bracelet from the dresser and placed it on Chloe’s left wrist.

“You… were always kind to me, Steph. And who else am I gonna ask? If it was traditional Max or Rach would be in your shoes but…”

“They’re the women you wanna spend the rest of your life with.” Steph nodded approvingly. “You’re so lucky, Chloe. Most people get one person they want to be with all their lives... you got two.”

Chloe smiled at Steph in the mirror and nodded quickly. “Every morning… I wake up and I check that it isn’t a dream, that they’re both really there,” she said, quickly dabbing at her eyes to stop the tears from ruining her makeup. Steph quickly passed her a tissue so she wouldn’t make a mess. “Thank you.”

“I can’t think of anybody who deserves it more.” Steph grinned as she took the tissue back and helped fix the mess Chloe had made. “I’m not surprised they get along so well actually, considering one is a photographer and the other loves to be photographed.”

“Oh, they fight sometimes… trivial shit but… they never go to sleep angry at each other. They learned a while ago to sort things out, because none of us want to destroy what we have.” Chloe explained as she fiddled with the blue flower bracelet. “They’re my world, Steph… I have absolutely no idea where I’d be without them.”

“They probably feel the same way about you!” Steph laughed as she straightened the bracelet after Chloe had finished messing around with it.

“That’s why we’re doing this… to make it as official as we can in front of our friends and families. To make a commitment that we’re together, no matter what happens.”

“It’s going to be an awesome evening,” Steph responded, checking a watch on her wrist. “It’s time to go.”

“Here we go…” Chloe nodded confidently, more to herself than to Steph.

* * *

 

Rachel paced Jen’s room in her red dress as her nerves tore at her insides. She’d never been this anxious before, not even before a show. It was a big event in her life, so much more than an act on a stage. She would be herself before everybody in the room, exposed as she announced her love for both Max and Chloe.

“You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet,” Jen said as she left the bathroom in an elegant black dress.

“I’m… really nervous,” Rachel retorted as she stopped pacing to look at her beautiful friend. “You look awesome, Jen.”

“I am not used to wearing a dress… give me jeans and a shirt any day.” Jen grinned as she gave a small flourish. “See? Not me…”

“Stop trying to distract me…” Rachel said, trying to sound stern but unable to hide the smirk on her lips.

“Come on, Rach… you’re going to be fine! Just concentrate on them, nobody else. They are all that’s important today.” Jen crossed the room and took hold of Rachel’s hands, stopping her from pacing again.

“I know…” She sighed, trying to breathe and settle the nerves. “We’ve been planning this for a while. I’ve been looking forward to it, every step of the way. It’s been so fucking difficult keeping it from you because I’ve wanted to jump up and down every single day…” Rachel started to ramble, getting her thoughts off her mind as she did. “And now that it’s here… I can’t believe it, I still can’t believe those two want to spend the rest of their lives with me… when they make such an awesome couple.”

“You make an awesome triad,” Jen corrected her gently with a grin on her pretty lips. “Rach, stop fucking stressing! You’re already committed to them. You’ve not been parted since you went to get Chloe from Arcadia after Max’s time travelling fuckery!” She laughed, making Rachel smirk at how true it was. “Seriously… stop worrying. This ceremony, it’s for you three. It’s so everybody can see how truly fucking happy the three of you are and rub their god damn noses in it!”

Rachel laughed at Jen’s honesty and quickly wrapped her best friend in a big hug. “You’ve been so awesome, Jen.”

“So have you… and I’m glad to be your honour maid… thing? I dunno!” Jen sniggered.

“We drew straws to see who would get you.” Rachel winked playfully. “I obviously won…”

“I thought you were going to tell me you lost for a moment,” Jen teased as they parted, though Rachel had to run her fingers through the shaved side of Jen’s hair.

“Nope… winner gets Jen, and they had to live with it.” Rachel smiled, hugging her friend one more time. “Ugh… I can’t believe we’ve known each other for almost five years!” she said, recalling the night they’d met.

“You were an angel when I needed you most, Rach… and you brought two angels with you. I’m so fucking happy for you!” Jen gushed, quickly moving away from Rachel.

Rachel noticed the tears in Jen’s eyes and quickly passed her a tissue. “Don’t you start! You’re going to have me crying my heart out!”

“None of that! Not until after the event!” Jen growled, quickly dabbing at her eyes with the tissue.

“I know, I know!” Rachel said, pacing again trying to work the emotions out of her system so she didn’t start crying. “I just… I wanna run to the room Max is in right now and just… pin her to a wall for saving my life and…”

“Whoa! Don’t start getting all descriptive, save it for later!” Jen laughed, walking over to her dresser and retrieving a red flower bracelet.

“It’s just how I’m feeling, all these emotions all the… adrenaline and the nerves and… oh my God, Jen… I can’t believe I’m here!” Rachel gushed, sitting on the bed and taking a deep breath.

“You will be fine!” Jen reassured her again, taking her left arm and putting the bracelet on. “You’re going to go downstairs. You’re going to follow your plan, just like a stage act! And then you’re going to enjoy the evening with all of the people who are sharing this day with you all, okay?”

“Okay…” Rachel nodded, trying to keep herself collected when there was a knock at the door.

Jen rushed over to open it and engaged a few quick words with the person before closing the door again.

“That was Kate… it’s time,” Jen said with a smirk. “You ready?

“Oh fuck…” She took another deep breath and nodded her head. “Okay… yeah, let’s go!”

* * *

 

When Max, Victoria and Kate reached one of the entrances to the ballroom, Victoria stepped inside. Max paced slightly out of sight of the door, as it was left open for Kate to hear Victoria’s opening speech and introduction for the three girls. Everything had been set up to make it feel as close to a ceremony as possible, even if they couldn’t get married. She was still nervous, more that something would now go wrong, but it was too late to change anything.

She heard Victoria start to announce them and quickly walked over to Kate, standing just beside the door frame. Then Kate pushed her into the ornate room and slipped past her, leaving Max alone with dozens of eyes looking at her as people clapped. She walked past the tables of her friends towards the centre where a space had been left for people to dance later, looking over the tops of heads as Rachel and Chloe entered as well. Rachel was smiling and waving to some of the people, while Chloe only had eyes for Max. She looked nervous, but as soon as they reached the dance floor they all took hold of each others hands, oblivious to the people around them.

“Why did we have to do the grand entrance?” Chloe whispered to Max, making Rachel laugh.

“For me… dork, now come on… up to our seats,” Rachel teased, just as they’d practiced the night before. 

Chloe was between Rachel and Max as they walked past the tables once more to the head table. Jen was already sat there clapping, winking playfully to the three of them as they became closer. Steph was at the end with Victoria, applauding along with everybody else.

Chloe and Rachel sat down together, leaving Max to make the first speech to their gathered friends and families. She looked into the crowd of faces and could see her parents sitting with Joyce and David, her dad had come just like she’d hoped.

“Thank you everybody for coming… we’re so glad we could surprise you with this event, and that you listened to our pestering to take the week off.” Max grinned as a ripple of chuckles echoed around the room. “We spent a lot of time discussing…”

“...Arguing…” Rachel interrupted quickly with a smirk, making the crowd laugh once more.

“Okay… arguing about how we should do this.” She smiled as she tried to return to what she was trying to say. “In the end, we wanted something for everybody to enjoy with us. We can’t get married, but we can declare our everlasting commitment to one another.”

She sat down, as it was Rachel’s turn to say a piece. Chloe took hold of Max’s hand, calming her nerves ever so slightly.

“To start off this evening, we’re going to take a moment to exchange some very special rings we’ve had made,” Rachel said, indicating the doorway Max had entered through as a man walked in carrying three open ring boxes on a small tray. 

As the man reached the head table Jen stood up and starting taking the boxes, placing them in front of the three girls. The man stepped away to the side with the tray, a kind smile on his face as he nodded politely to Victoria.

Max looked down at the rings as Rachel continued her part of the speech, admiring the intricacy of the three different metals wound together. The gold represented Rachel, the platinum was Max. Chloe had opted for a black tungsten, wanting to keep some of her punk nature alive even if she no longer had a full head of blue hair. It was another thing they had debated and argued over, but after Rachel had sketched the ring they all agreed. Finding the right jeweller had been another matter entirely, but the work was sitting in front of them.

Unique to them, three of a kind. 

“So… on with the exchange,” Rachel said, snapping Max away from staring at the three rings. “Chloe drew the short straw for this, so she gets to go first.” She laughed.

Chloe and Max both stood up to join Rachel, while Chloe picked up her ring. They weren’t going to ring swap, their rings had been placed in front of them. Their plan was as each gave their own speech to the others, they would put on their ring to show their commitment.

“Rach… when you came into my life you blew me away. I’d been trying to act big and tough for so long… and then you came along and just slipped right through the cracks. I never expected somebody as incredible as you to choose me for a friend, even less to want to be with me. You saved my life, you brightened my world and I will always love you for that,” she finished as the two girls hugged beside Max, making her smile.

“I love you too,” Rachel whispered as they parted. Their guests clapped as if on cue, but Max was trying not to pay attention to them, in case she got nervous again.

“Max… I have no idea where to start with you. I’ve known you almost all my life!” Chloe laughed, taking hold of Max’s hands. “I had absolutely no idea how much I loved you, so when you landed back in my life… I was never going to let you go again! You’ve been so caring and loyal, and when I need you the most you’re there. I’m so glad I get to spend my future with you.” They hugged tightly, and Max kissed her cheek quickly.

“I love you, Chloe,” Max whispered.

“I love you too.” Chloe smiled, putting the ring on her finger just as they planned.

Max picked up her ring from the table, it was her turn to expose her feelings to all of their guests and the two girls she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. 

“Chloe Price… like you said, we have known each other pretty much our whole lives, and being with you always make me smile. It brings out something else in me, you give me the confidence to step beyond myself and be more than I am. You inspire me, you’ve kept me safe and you have so much love to give that I am so happy you want to give it to me.” Max smiled at her wonderful girlfriend, absently playing with the blue highlight in Chloe’s hair. “I never want to be parted from you again, and I’ll do everything I can to always be with you.”

Chloe smiled and hugged her once more, kissing her cheek this time as they embraced for slightly longer. “Everything in your power?” she whispered, making Max laugh.

“Everything.” Max nodded before they released.

Chloe stepped back, allowing Max to stand a little closer to Rachel. She eyed up the girl who had changed her life in a very strange way, who she had fallen for despite all of her best intentions. 

“When I first heard about you… I was so jealous,” she admitted gently. “Then when I really got to know you… I fell in love too. I had no idea I could love two people, I’d only just started accepting I loved a beautiful girl like Chloe. But you changed my life Rach, and I am so glad you did.” She smiled, trying to lace some of the truth into it. There was no way she was going to admit to all of their guests she could time travel. “You are my muse… every minute we spend together I feel like I can do so much more, so when the three of us are together, I feel like I’m on top of the world. I love you, Rachel.” She wrapped Rachel in a tight hug, inhaling the perfume she was wearing.

“I love you too, Max,” Rachel whispered, kissing her cheek sweetly. 

Max put her ring on carefully, appreciating the way the light glinted off the different metals. 

“I guess it’s my turn…” Rachel smirked, picking up her ring and turning it over between her thumb and index finger. “Chloe Price… what can I say about the most loyal, caring and hot friend I had in high school? You were always there for me, you would pick me up after school with that big goofy smile on your face and we’d lose hours just… being us. It was always great, so getting spend the rest of my life with you? It’s a dream come true! I am so glad we have all the time in the world together, just like we always promised.” Max stepped out of the way as Rachel hugged Chloe again, but Max could see the tear in her eye and quickly passed her a napkin. “Thanks…” she whispered, quickly dabbing at her eyes.

“It’s okay, Rach,” Chloe said, holding Rachel’s as they parted.

“Max… my beautiful angel,” Rachel said, pushing on even as she tried to obviously hold back the happy tears. “I’d heard all about you from Chloe… but meeting you in the flesh was something else entirely. I can never get enough time with you to explore our passions together, and every minute we do get is worth a lifetime to me. I am so grateful that both you, and Chloe, had enough love to include me in your relationship… that we could find what we have and a future where we all get to be the best we can be together.” 

As Rachel hugged Max, she felt Chloe’s arm wrap around her too. She hooked her arm around Chloe as they all hugged one another, until Rachel pulled away to place the ring on her finger.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! The Prices’!” Jen shouted over the applause, causing people to clap a little harder and louder.

Max saw her moment to act as Chloe released Rachel for a moment and quickly froze them both in time. The eerie silence after so much noise seemed to shock Chloe, who looked at Max confused.

“What’s up?” Chloe frowned.

“I’m hoping…” Max started to say when Aion drifted lazily over them, settling on Rachel’s shoulder. “Try holding Rachel’s hand.” She instructed.

Chloe did as she was told, and suddenly Rachel moved, turning to face them.

“What happened? What the hell?” the blonde girl almost yelled, looking around at all of the frozen people.

“I asked Aion to… give you the gift of walking in time with me,” Max said, taking hold of Rachel’s hand. “Now… the three of us can walk through time together…”

“A proper triad.” Chloe smiled as Rachel continued to look shocked.

“Oh… my God…” Rachel muttered, then finally launched herself into Max’s arm. “Thank you so fucking much! This… was the best fucking gift you could have given me! Thank you! Thank you!”

“It’s alright… I wanted to share it with you, so we can all be together.” Max laughed, trying to breath through Rachel’s tight embrace.

“So… back to the party?” Chloe beamed, looking at them both as Max managed to prise Rachel off.

“In a moment…” Rachel said, a mischievous glint in her eyes before she jumped Max again and kissed her firmly on the lips.

When Rachel had gathered her composure, they tried to return to the positions they were in before Max had frozen time for this gift, for this moment in their lives. She allowed the power to end and the applause to assault them once more, but she was glad Aion had accepted her request.

It was the start of their ceremony, the start of the rest of their lives together. She knew no matter what happened she would keep them all safe, she would never let anything befall her two partners in time if she could help it. She put an arm around Chloe and rest her head on her shoulder, wanting to skip the ceremony just so she could enjoy the night she had planned, but it was just like Rachel had said.

They had all the time in the world… and maybe a little more with a bit of time trickery.


	42. Developer's Commentary (Author Notes, Notable Mentions, Final Words)

Unfortunately, this is the end of Defy Fate. After four months of writing, it has been a brilliant ride. I started because of the subreddit, I asked if I should do it and I got a resounding answer of yes. Over the weeks with each chapter, I've had a lot of positive feedback, even help from those with a bit more experience in those areas. I'm really surprised at how liked Jen became, especially considering she's an OC and was never apart of LiS, just like Kelly and Brooke. She was supposed to be a character who would play a smaller part, but over time she became a lot more! I know it's ended with her still single, but I felt focusing on her too much would have detracted from the triad. I played with the idea of dragging the epilogue out a little bit longer and showing her at the bar with Steph, and maybe a warning from Chloe about her flirty nature, but ultimately the ending was too perfect with the sharing of that gift that I didn't want to ruin it.

 

 

Now, I'd like to thank a few people.

 

Jossi55 - For once again soundboarding my ideas even if they didn't read this one. I know it's not for you!

BloodyAugust - When it came to Victoria, I haven't had as much experience writing for her. Bloody was very kind in allowing me to pick their brain and ask questions to try to get it right! The competition was their idea!

Azidium- A Caulfield Christmas is his fault! You wanna know where Twitchy beard came from? You can ask him!

sad_magical_girl - Editor in Chief! You offered your assistance and it has been absolutely brilliant, thank you! I've learned a lot from you.

My proofreader, who once again read the chapters from rough hash to finished product!

 

And every single one of the commenters who has given their honest feedback over and over again. You have no idea what it means to a writer to receive this kind of feedback.

 

That being said, Defy Fate is now complete... which means it is time for the thing I've been teasing for a few weeks now.

 

**The Announcement**

 

My name is Chris Scott and on the 29th of November 2017 I self-published a book called [**The Ascendance Protocol: Endeavour**.](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ascendance-Protocol-Endeavour-Chris-Scott/dp/1973470772/) It is available for order on Amazon, both ebook and paperback. 

I never said anything, because I wanted to write fics without this hanging over me. I started Shattering Timelines a week before it was published as a way to sharpen my skillset, to distract me from how nervous I was that something I had been working on and polishing as much as possible was about to be out there in the public domain. It's years of work building a world, creating the story. I'm reall glad I can share it all with you, even if you've no interest in reading it.

I hope you can all forgive me for not saying anything sooner!

As it is the first time I've ever self published anything in my life, I made a few errors along the way and there's a copy of it that is unavailable. If you search through Amazon you should find the available paperback version. I've already had a few questions about this and felt I should elaborate!


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